Dear Colleagues,

I am inviting submissions to a Special Issue of Energies titled “Energy Efficiency and Energy Savings in Smart Buildings”. Economy, population, and per capita energy consumption have increased the demand for energy during the last several decades. Statistical data has indicated that buildings account for approximately 40% of energy end-use in the European Union (EU), of which more than 50% is electricity. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 60% of the global electrical energy is consumed by residential, commercial, and office buildings, with an increasing trend over time. Buildings represents the largest and most cost-effective potential for energy savings. Studies have also shown that saving energy is the most cost-effective method for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Furthermore, higher energy efficiencies will contribute to global sustainability.

The term “smart buildings” describes a suite of technologies used to make the design, construction, and operation of buildings more efficient, and is applicable to both existing and new-build properties. In simple words, a smart building can limit its energy consumption on days when the city power grid sends an alert that it is near capacity.

Efficient energy usage inside smart buildings is a critical issue as over 30% of the global energy consumption resides in the use of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Usage awareness and the efficient management of HVAC have the potential to significantly reduce related costs. Nevertheless, strict saving policies may contrast with users' comfort. For this reason, smart and innovative HVAC systems are needed which compensate for energy costs and the thermal comfort of users. The use of intelligent management systems inside buildings can improve the control and management of HVAC, domestic hot-water systems, lighting, fire safety, and other “energy-hungry” devices and also facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources. The aim of this Special Issue is to incorporate works on energy efficiency and energy savings in smart buildings, including the most suitable technologies and techniques, their main features, and their applications in these buildings, and to contribute to GHG emission mitigation—in particular CO₂ emissions.

Prof. Dr. Ioan Sarbu
Prof. Dr. Adriana Tokar
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• smart building
• energy supply
• energy management
• energy efficiency and energy savings
• sustainability
• renewable energy
• smart HVAC
• ambient comfort
• safety and security