Shallow Geothermal Energy Systems for Heating and Cooling in Existing European Buildings: Challenges and Opportunities
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: 10 December 2025 | Viewed by 201
Special Issue Editor
Interests: smart and green building technology; zero-carbon/energy communities; AI and digital technology applications; geothermal energy; energy storage; building-to-grid Integration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The European Union’s ambitious carbon neutrality goals require significant improvements in the energy efficiency of existing buildings, which account for a substantial share of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Shallow geothermal energy (SGE) systems, known for their efficiency and sustainability, have emerged as a promising solution for heating and cooling in buildings. Despite this potential, several technical, economic, and policy-related barriers limit the large-scale adoption of SGE in existing European buildings.
This Special Issue aims to gather multidisciplinary research to explore innovative solutions for overcoming these challenges. In addition to technological advancements, it will focus on the role of incentive mechanisms, the use of game models to address stakeholder interactions, and policy suggestions tailored to promote SGE system adoption. The Issue will also highlight case studies from different European climates, offering insights into the regional adaptability of these systems.
This Special Issue invites original research articles, case studies, reviews, and technical papers covering a broad range of topics related to shallow geothermal energy systems in the context of existing buildings. Key topics to be addressed include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Technological innovations in shallow geothermal energy systems for heating and cooling;
- Integration strategies for SGE systems in existing buildings;
- Performance optimization and energy modeling of SGE systems;
- Incentive mechanisms to promote the adoption of shallow geothermal systems;
- Game models to analyze stakeholder interactions and decision-making processes;
- Policy frameworks and recommendations to support SGE deployment;
- Life-cycle cost analysis and economic feasibility of SGE systems in different European regions;
- Case studies from various European climates, showcasing real-world applications;
- Impact of SGE systems on carbon emissions reduction and energy savings in buildings;
- Social acceptance and market potential of shallow geothermal energy technologies.
Dr. Zhengxuan Liu
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 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
- geothermal energy
- sustainable heating and cooling
- energy transition of existing buildings
- energy modeling of geothermal energy
- policy framework
- life-cycle cost analysis
- social impacts
- market potential
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.
