Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.4
3.1
Journals
Buildings
Special Issues
Innovative Trends and Future Prospects of Sustainable Green Building Materials
share announcement

Innovative Trends and Future Prospects of Sustainable Green Building Materials

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Materials, and Repair & Renovation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 May 2026 | Viewed by 1780

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Pedro Muñoz-Velasco

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Tecnología, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, Avda. de la Paz, 137, 26007 Logroño, Spain
Interests: circular economy; construction materials; energy; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past decade, the construction sector has been under intense scrutiny from environmental policies due to its significant environmental impacts. Beyond the pressures associated with the operation of buildings and civil works, the sector also faces challenges related to material consumption during construction. Additionally, increasing demands for safety, adaptability to a changing climate, comfort, durability, and resilience further amplify the environmental footprint of construction materials.

In response, the industry is actively exploring strategies to reduce its environmental impact. Key efforts include enhancing the properties of traditional materials, replacing natural raw materials with lower-impact alternatives aligned with circular economy principles, developing innovative designs for bioclimatic efficiency, and implementing more sustainable manufacturing processes.

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on the latest trends in minimizing the environmental impact of construction materials. We welcome original research—both theoretical and applied—as well as case studies and review articles addressing, but not limited to, the following topics:

  • Innovative sustainable materials for green buildings such as PCMs;
  • Enhancing the performance and resilience of eco-friendly construction materials;
  • Industrial and construction waste for replacing natural raw materials;
  • Long-term durability and life-cycle assessments of green building materials;
  • Advanced manufacturing techniques for sustainable and low-impact materials;
  • The integration of eco-friendly materials in modern architectural design;
  • Reclaimed, repurposed, and recycled materials in sustainable construction;
  • Emerging trends and future challenges in sustainable material innovation;
  • Economic viability and market trends of sustainable construction materials;
  • Materials promoting circular economy principles in the built environment.

Prof. Dr. Pedro Muñoz-Velasco
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 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

  • sustainability
  • construction
  • building
  • materials
  • energy
  • environment
  • impact

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

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

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

19 pages, 3427 KB  
Article
Experimental Investigations of One-Part Geopolymer Mortar: Fresh, Hardened, and Durability Properties Using Locally Available Industrial Waste
by Muhammad Tariq Bashir, Muhammad Jamal Shinwari, Ratan Lal, Md. Alhaz Uddin, Muhammad Ali Sikandar, Md. Habibur Rahman Sobuz, Ahmed Almutairi, Jie Wen and Md. Munir Hayet Khan
Buildings 2026, 16(1), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16010037 - 22 Dec 2025
Viewed by 40
Abstract
The disposal of industrial waste poses a significant environmental challenge, often leading to pollution and degradation of surrounding and terrestrial ecosystems. This study investigates the sustainable valorization of such wastes through the development of one-part geopolymer mortars. Solid sodium silicate was employed as [...] Read more.
The disposal of industrial waste poses a significant environmental challenge, often leading to pollution and degradation of surrounding and terrestrial ecosystems. This study investigates the sustainable valorization of such wastes through the development of one-part geopolymer mortars. Solid sodium silicate was employed as a dry alkali activator for binary blends comprising ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS), clay brick powder (CBP), steel slag (SS), and fly ash (FA), with all mixtures cured under ambient conditions. The mortars were evaluated in terms of fresh properties (flow and setting time) and hardened characteristics, including compressive strength, density, water absorption, and porosity. Durability performance was assessed through mass loss, visual degradation, and compressive strength retention following exposure to acidic (H2SO4, HCl) and sulfate environments. Microstructural characterization using XRD, SEM, and FTIR provided insight into the mechanisms of gel formation and degradation in aggressive media. The results revealed that incorporating 5% FA into GGBS-based mortars enhanced 28-day compressive strength by 21.7% compared with the control mix. The inclusion of industrial by-products promoted the formation of C–S–H and C–(A)–S–H gels, contributing to a denser and more refined microstructure. Overall, the findings demonstrate that one-part geopolymer mortars offer a promising, eco-efficient, and durable alternative to traditional cementitious systems, while also addressing safety and handling concerns associated with liquid alkaline activators used in conventional two-part geopolymer formulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Trends and Future Prospects of Sustainable Green Building Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 3252 KB  
Article
Sustainability and Structural Integrity in Seismic Design: The Role of Reinforcement Ratios in Life Cycle Impact and Building Safety
by David Dominguez, Pedro Muñoz, María Pilar Morales, Juan Figueroa and Milica Vasić
Buildings 2025, 15(24), 4484; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15244484 - 11 Dec 2025
Viewed by 276
Abstract
The construction sector faces increasing pressure to decarbonize, as embodied emissions from structural materials often dominate the environmental footprint of reinforced concrete (RC) buildings. Although reinforcement ratios are key drivers of structural capacity, their environmental implications under seismic design remain insufficiently quantified. This [...] Read more.
The construction sector faces increasing pressure to decarbonize, as embodied emissions from structural materials often dominate the environmental footprint of reinforced concrete (RC) buildings. Although reinforcement ratios are key drivers of structural capacity, their environmental implications under seismic design remain insufficiently quantified. This study investigates the relationship between longitudinal reinforcement ratios and both seismic performance and life-cycle environmental impacts in RC frame buildings. Three code-compliant reinforcement configurations (1%, 3%, and 5%) were analyzed for three- and nine-story structures designed under Eurocode 8. Mechanical performance was evaluated using nonlinear pushover analysis, while embodied impacts were quantified through Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) using the ReCiPe 2016 midpoint and endpoint methods. Results show that increasing steel content reduces concrete volume and increases lateral capacity, but may significantly decrease ductility and increase environmental burdens. Optimal performance is achieved with moderate reinforcement ratios, which reduce embodied impacts while preserving seismic safety. Furthermore, reducing the amount of concrete while increasing the amount of steel reduces the weight of structures by between 19% (3 stories) and 22% (9 stories), improving their seismic resistance due to the reduction in seismic forces in areas of moderate seismicity. These findings demonstrate that reinforcement selection introduces a measurable trade-off between structural integrity and sustainability, providing designers with quantitative guidance for low- and medium-rise RC buildings in seismic regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Trends and Future Prospects of Sustainable Green Building Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 5882 KB  
Article
Microstructure-Driven Feasibility of Crushed Bamboo Coarse Aggregate for Structural–Insulating Wall Composites
by Aliaksandr Bakatovich, Aleksandr Yagubkin, Nadezhda Bakatovich, Olga Kizinievič, Yahor Trambitski and Jie Wen
Buildings 2025, 15(23), 4295; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15234295 - 27 Nov 2025
Viewed by 265
Abstract
This study evaluates crushed bamboo as a coarse aggregate for structural–thermal wall composites, comparing its performance against mixes with wood sawdust and rice husk. Crushed bamboo was used in both smooth and surface-roughened conditions, where particle morphology and surface features were characterized by [...] Read more.
This study evaluates crushed bamboo as a coarse aggregate for structural–thermal wall composites, comparing its performance against mixes with wood sawdust and rice husk. Crushed bamboo was used in both smooth and surface-roughened conditions, where particle morphology and surface features were characterized by SEM and AFM methods. The roughened bamboo aggregate exhibited greater surface roughness, thereby improving interfacial adhesion with cement. Surface roughening increased 28-day compressive strength by ~39–44% relative to smooth particles. Incorporating fine plant-based fillers into cement–bamboo composites increased their compressive strength by ~33–75% and reduced thermal conductivity by ~12–18%, compared with the analogues without fine particles. Water-absorption tests on bamboo aggregate showed rapid uptake in the first 24 h (43–45%) and saturation after 7 days of ~65–70%, values lower than typical wood by-products, thereby helping to limit mix water demand. Findings indicate that crushed, surface-roughened bamboo, especially with fine bio-fillers, can produce sustainable wall materials with a strong balance between strength and insulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Trends and Future Prospects of Sustainable Green Building Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 5306 KB  
Article
Interfacial Shear Strength of Sand–Recycled Rubber Mixtures Against Steel: Ring-Shear Testing and Machine Learning Prediction
by Rayed Almasoudi, Hossam Abuel-Naga and Abolfazl Baghbani
Buildings 2025, 15(18), 3276; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15183276 - 10 Sep 2025
Viewed by 734
Abstract
Soil–structure contacts often govern deformation and stability in foundations and buried infrastructure. Rubber waste is used in soil mixtures to enhance geotechnical performance and promote environmental sustainability. This study investigates the peak and residual shear strength of sand–steel interfaces, where the sand is [...] Read more.
Soil–structure contacts often govern deformation and stability in foundations and buried infrastructure. Rubber waste is used in soil mixtures to enhance geotechnical performance and promote environmental sustainability. This study investigates the peak and residual shear strength of sand–steel interfaces, where the sand is mixed with recycled rubber. It also develops predictive machine learning (ML) models based on the experimental data. Two silica sands, medium and coarse, were mixed with two rubber gradations; however, Rubber B was included only in limited comparative tests at a fixed content. Ring-shear tests were performed against smooth and rough steel plates under normal stresses of 25 to 200 kPa to capture the full τ–δ response. Nine input variables were considered: median particle size (D50), regularity index (RI), porosity (n), coefficients of uniformity (Cu) and curvature (Cc), rubber content (RC), applied normal stress (σn), normalised roughness (Rn), and surface hardness (HD). These variables were used to train multiple linear regression (MLR) and random forest regression (RFR) models. The models were trained and validated on 96 experimental data points derived from ring-shear tests across varied material and loading conditions. The machine learning models facilitated the exploration of complex, non-linear relationships between the input variables and both peak and residual interfacial shear strength. Experimental findings demonstrated that particle size compatibility, rubber content, and surface roughness significantly influence interface behaviour, with optimal conditions varying depending on the surface type. Moderate inclusion of rubber was found to enhance strength under certain conditions, while excessive content could lead to performance reduction. The MLR model demonstrated superior generalisation in predicting peak strength, whereas the RFR model yielded higher accuracy for residual strength. Feature importance analyses from both models identified the most influential parameters governing the shear response at the sand–steel interface. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Trends and Future Prospects of Sustainable Green Building Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop