Decarbonization in the Building Sector: Prospects, Challenges and Policy Frameworks
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Sustainability".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 July 2026 | Viewed by 955
Special Issue Editors
Interests: energy transition; decarbonization; renewable energy; energy management; sustainable buildings; life cycle assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The building sector is a major contributor to global carbon emissions, consuming 40% of extracted natural resources and 36% of energy produced, while releasing over 33% of the total greenhouse gases emitted. With the rapid growth in urbanized areas, in the future, the role of buildings in the global energy and environmental scenarios is set to become even more critical. Accordingly, buildings have a leading role to play in global efforts for sustainable development and energy transition. As countries around the world strive to achieve net-zero targets, decarbonizing the built environment is critical to sustainable development and climate change mitigation. This Special Issue seeks to explore the prospects, challenges, and pathways, both from technological and policy perspectives, for advancing decarbonization in the building sector. It welcomes submissions addressing innovative technologies, energy efficiency strategies, sustainable materials, and low-carbon design principles. Additionally, research focusing on the socio-economic impacts, regulatory measures, and policy incentives driving decarbonization will also be welcome. Papers highlighting case studies, best practices, and interdisciplinary approaches are also encouraged.
Dr. Muhammad Asif
Dr. Emrah Atar
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
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
- global warming
- climate change
- embodied energy
- construction materials
- energy efficiency
- renewable energy
- life cycle analysis
- circular economy
- Paris agreement
- sustainable development goals
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.
