Advancing Energy-Efficient Buildings for Net-Zero Carbon Emission Goals
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Building".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 2709
Special Issue Editors
2. Department of Heat and Gas Supply and Ventilation, Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Systems, Lviv Polytechnic National University, Lviv, Ukraine
Interests: thermal engineering; energy engineering; renewable energy technologies
2. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
Interests: natural ventilation; air quality monitoring; energy-saving technologies in residential complexes; renewable energy technologies
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
As we work towards ambitious net-zero carbon goals, energy efficiency in buildings remains a crucial pillar in our efforts to mitigate climate change, and recent advancements in sustainable building materials, insulation techniques, and energy management systems are paving the way toward more efficient, resilient, and environmentally friendly structures. This Special Issue seeks to gather groundbreaking research on innovative practices and technological solutions that support these objectives, encouraging transformative approaches in the construction and renovation of energy-efficient buildings.
Energy optimization in buildings requires a comprehensive approach that integrates efficient systems with structural solutions to minimize energy consumption and emissions. This includes the development of advanced insulation materials, passive heating and cooling techniques, and highly efficient ventilation systems. Furthermore, effective building envelope design and the integration of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, are essential to achieving net-zero status. At the core of these efforts is the ability to analyze and optimize building energy use through rigorous data collection and measurement techniques, ensuring that systems operate with minimal energy waste.
A key challenge is ensuring that these advancements remain both scalable and accessible, providing solutions that are feasible for various building types and climates. Therefore, contributions that emphasize cost-effectiveness, practicality, and ease of implementation are of great interest. We welcome studies that demonstrate substantial energy savings and emissions reductions in real-world applications, as well as research exploring the integration of renewable energy with conventional building systems. Solutions for enhanced energy storage, grid-interactive buildings, and low-impact, sustainable construction materials are also of high relevance.
This Special Issue aims to create a platform for knowledge sharing, promoting strategies and techniques that advance the built environment’s sustainability. We invite researchers and practitioners alike to share their insights on technologies and methods that contribute to energy-efficient and low-carbon buildings. We also encourage submissions that provide comprehensive reviews of recent advancements in energy efficiency for the building sector.
We look forward to your valuable contributions, helping us build a sustainable, net-zero future in the construction and building sectors.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Innovative building materials for enhanced energy efficiency;
- Passive heating, cooling, and ventilation systems;
- Renewable energy integration in building design;
- Advanced insulation technologies for thermal efficiency;
- Low-carbon construction practices and sustainable materials;
- The optimization of HVAC systems for reduced emissions;
- Energy performance monitoring and management tools;
- Retrofitting techniques for improved energy performance in existing buildings;
- Smart grids and demand response strategies for buildings;
- Lifecycle assessment of buildings for carbon footprint reduction;
- Policies and regulations for achieving net-zero buildings;
- Case studies on energy-positive and zero-energy buildings;
- AI-driven technology in energy efficiency.
Prof. Dr. Vasyl Zhelykh
Dr. Khrystyna Myroniuk
Prof. Dr. Zuzana Vranayova
Guest Editors
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. Sustainability 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 2400 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
- energy-efficient buildings
- net-zero emissions
- sustainable construction
- building energy optimization
- renewable energy integration
- passive heating and cooling
- low-carbon architecture
- green building technologies
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.
