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Emerging Trends and Challenges in Zero-Energy Districts

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "G: Energy and Buildings".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 741

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Architecture, University IUAV of Venice, 30123 Venice, Italy
Interests: zero energy buildings; energy efficiency; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering (DICEA), University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy
Interests: sustainability; energy and environmental protocols; town planning; climate change; energy efficiency; rating systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cities are home to more than 50 percent of the world's population, generate 80 percent of global GDP, consume two-thirds of global energy, and are responsible for more than 70 percent of annual carbon emissions. In light of the potential for further increases in these figures, it is imperative to adopt a sustainable approach to energy rehabilitation and energy efficiency. This should extend beyond the scale of individual buildings to encompass entire neighborhoods or districts. It is imperative that an interdisciplinary and holistic approach be adopted. At the European level, initiatives such as Renewable Energy Communities and the first Positive Energy Districts are emerging. Meanwhile, at the international level, sustainability certifications are spreading from the neighborhood to the urban scale. Examples of this include LEED for Neighbourhood, LEED for Cities, BREEAM Communities, and CASBEE for Cities. This Special Issue has been designed to bring together research and new methodologies that are focused on energy redevelopment and sustainability. In particular, it will consider work at the neighborhood level and above.

Dr. Massimiliano Scarpa
Dr. Elena Mazzola
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • sustainable energy
  • energy efficiency
  • urban sustainability
  • renewable energy communities
  • positive energy districts
  • sustainability certifications

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

33 pages, 1827 KiB  
Review
Advances in Hosting Capacity Assessment and Enhancement Techniques for Distributed Energy Resources: A Review of Dynamic Operating Envelopes in the Australian Grid
by Naveed Ali Brohi, Gokul Thirunavukkarasu, Mehdi Seyedmahmoudian, Kafeel Ahmed, Alex Stojcevski and Saad Mekhilef
Energies 2025, 18(11), 2922; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18112922 - 2 Jun 2025
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Abstract
The increasing penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs) such as solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, battery energy storage systems (BESSs), and electric vehicles (EVs) in low-voltage (LV) and medium-voltage (MV) distribution networks is reshaping traditional grid operations. This shift introduces challenges including voltage violations, [...] Read more.
The increasing penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs) such as solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, battery energy storage systems (BESSs), and electric vehicles (EVs) in low-voltage (LV) and medium-voltage (MV) distribution networks is reshaping traditional grid operations. This shift introduces challenges including voltage violations, thermal overloading, and power quality issues due to bidirectional power flows. Hosting capacity (HC) assessment has become essential for quantifying and optimizing DER integration while ensuring grid stability. This paper reviews state-of-the-art HC assessment methods, including deterministic, stochastic, time-series, and AI-based approaches. Techniques for enhancing HC—such as on-load tap changers, reactive power control, and network reconfiguration—are also discussed. A key focus is the emerging concept of dynamic operating envelopes (DOEs), which enable real-time allocation of HC by dynamically adjusting import/export limits for DERs based on operational conditions. The paper examines the benefits, challenges, and implementation of DOEs, supported by insights from Australian projects. Technical, regulatory, and social aspects are addressed, including network visibility, DER uncertainty, scalability, and cybersecurity. The study highlights the potential of integrating DOEs with other HC enhancement strategies to support efficient, reliable, and scalable DER integration in modern distribution networks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends and Challenges in Zero-Energy Districts)
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