Building Resilient Cities: Architecture and Urban Planning for Combating Extreme Hot and Cold Weather

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Architectural Design, Urban Science, and Real Estate".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 1241

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Architecture, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China
Interests: low-carbon city and green building design; building performance simulation and optimization; urban microclimate and urban building energy modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
School of Architecture, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China
Interests: urban microclimate; green building design; green city design; architectural design

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The increasing global temperature has been identified as a key driver of the rise in extreme weather conditions observed in recent years. Events such as heatwaves and cold snaps can cause power outages and failures in energy systems, which cut the required heating and cooling energy supplies for buildings. Furthermore, these extreme conditions can negatively impact the productivity, health, and well-being of occupants. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that both the frequency and intensity of extreme climate events are projected to increase in the future. In light of these trends, it is imperative to enhance the resilience of cities and buildings to ensure their functionality and comfort under such conditions. The development of climate-resilient technologies, approaches, and design strategies offers promising pathways for assessing the impacts of extreme weather on the built environment and adapting to these challenges. These advancements can further inform architectural and urban planning practices to better address the demands of a changing climate. We wholeheartedly welcome papers on related topics including, but not limited to the following:

  1. Climate-resilient architecture and urban planning solutions;
  2. Energy-efficient and climate resilient building solutions;
  3. Urban microclimate and extreme heat/cold adaptation strategies;
  4. Heat-health risk assessment of cities;
  5. Practices of climate-resilient buildings and cities;
  6. Climate-resilient materials and construction methods;
  7. Smart technologies for resilience and sustainability;
  8. Policy and governance strategies to promote climate-resilience;
  9. Enhancing the resilience of urban energy systems.

Dr. Sheng Liu
Prof. Dr. Yingzi Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • climate-resilient cities
  • climate-resilient buildings
  • extreme hot/cold events
  • low-carbon buildings and cities
  • architectural and urban planning practices
  • urban microclimate
  • building energy efficiency

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 8570 KiB  
Article
Study on the Impact of Design Parameters of Photovoltaic Combined Vacuum Glazing (PVCVG) on the Energy Consumption of Buildings in Lhasa
by Luyang Zhong, Dan Wu, Bo Zhang, Lixing Chen, Yibing Xie, Yingzi Zhang and Xinchun Liang
Buildings 2025, 15(4), 649; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15040649 - 19 Feb 2025
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Abstract
The synergistic active-passive utilization of solar energy in buildings plays an important role in achieving nearly zero-energy buildings. Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) is a crucial initiative to reduce heating energy consumption, especially in cold climate zones with abundant solar radiation. However, few studies have [...] Read more.
The synergistic active-passive utilization of solar energy in buildings plays an important role in achieving nearly zero-energy buildings. Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) is a crucial initiative to reduce heating energy consumption, especially in cold climate zones with abundant solar radiation. However, few studies have examined the impact of design parameters of photovoltaic combined vacuum glazing (PVCVG) on building energy efficiency in Lhasa. This study assessed the energy performance of several typical windows and PVCVG with various Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR) design conditions and investigated how the WWR and orientation of PVCVG influence energy consumption using DesignBuilder7.0 software. The findings indicate that PVCVG exhibits great energy-saving potential in Lhasa, with both orientation and WWR of PVCVG substantially affecting energy consumption. Specifically, when the south-facing WWR exceeds 40%, the energy generated by the three kinds of PV windows can meet the building’s requirements. The optimal orientation for PVCVG is southward, followed by east and west orientations. PVCVG reaches optimal energy satisfaction when the south WWR is 85%. This study is expected to provide useful information for improving energy use efficiency in cold climate zones with abundant solar radiation and promoting sustainable building development. Full article
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42 pages, 2459 KiB  
Review
Climate-Responsive Design of Photovoltaic Façades in Hot Climates: Materials, Technologies, and Implementation Strategies
by Xiaohui Wu, Yanfeng Wang, Shile Deng and Ping Su
Buildings 2025, 15(10), 1648; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15101648 - 14 May 2025
Viewed by 443
Abstract
With the intensification of global climate change, buildings in hot climate zones face increasing challenges related to high energy consumption and thermal comfort. Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) façades, which combine power generation and energy saving potential, require further optimization in their climate-adaptive design. [...] Read more.
With the intensification of global climate change, buildings in hot climate zones face increasing challenges related to high energy consumption and thermal comfort. Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) façades, which combine power generation and energy saving potential, require further optimization in their climate-adaptive design. Most existing studies primarily focus on the photoelectric conversion efficiency of PV modules, yet there is a lack of systematic analysis of the coupled effects of temperature, humidity, and solar radiation intensity on PV performance. Moreover, the current literature rarely addresses the regional material degradation patterns, integrated cooling solutions, or intelligent control systems suitable for hot and humid climates. There is also a lack of practical, climate specific design guidelines that connect theoretical technologies with real world applications. This paper systematically reviews BIPV façade design strategies following a climate zoning framework, summarizing research progress from 2019 to 2025 in the areas of material innovation, thermal management, light regulation strategies, and parametric design. A climate responsive strategy is proposed to address the distinct challenges of humid hot and dry hot climates. Finally, this study discusses the barriers and challenges of BIPV system applications in hot climates and highlights future research directions. Unlike previous reviews, this paper offers a multi-dimensional synthesis that integrates climatic classification, material suitability, passive and active cooling strategies, and intelligent optimization technologies. It further provides regionally differentiated recommendations for façade design and outlines a unified framework to guide future research and practical deployment of BIPV systems in hot climates. Full article
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