Sustainable Materials for Building Envelopes
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Materials".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 15
Special Issue Editors
Interests: thermal, optical, and acoustic properties of opaque and transparent building materials; transparent insulating materials (TIMs); nano-materials; heat transfer; circular economy; waste materials; environmental sustainability; building energy simulation; life cycle assessment; thermal, lighting, and acoustic comfort; environmental noise analysis; renewable energy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: radiative cooling; passive cooling; urban overheating; urban heat island mitigation; adaptive materials; energy efficiency; human comfort
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Building envelopes play a key role in ensuring energy efficiency, environmental performance, and indoor comfort. In the context of growing sustainability demands, materials used for building envelopes must not only guarantee thermal and acoustic insulation but also demonstrate low environmental impact, efficient use of resources, and sustainable end-of-life management.
Driven by the goals of Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEBs), emission reduction, and climate change mitigation, recent research has focused on innovative and sustainable materials—such as bio-based, recycled, and multifunctional composites—capable of improving envelope performance across different climates while reducing embodied carbon and enhancing durability.
This Special Issue is dedicated to sustainable materials for building envelopes, considering their thermal, acoustic, hygrothermal, environmental, and structural characteristics. It aims to gather studies on material development, performance assessment, and practical application in both architectural and civil engineering contexts, promoting circularity and innovation in construction.
Topics of interest include the evaluation of thermal and acoustic properties, durability, life cycle assessment (LCA), environmental impact, and the use of natural, recycled, or bio-based resources. We also welcome contributions about multifunctional and adaptive materials, experimental and numerical energy performance assessments, and case studies in real or simulated buildings. Furthermore, we encourage contributions addressing civil engineering aspects, like structural integration or large-scale applications.
While much has been published on energy-efficient materials, this Special Issue aims to offer an integrated perspective that connects material innovation with building envelope performance, highlighting comprehensive and interdisciplinary approaches.
Review papers should provide a thorough overview of the current state of the art, while original research contributions should present innovative methodologies, materials, or applications relevant to sustainable building envelopes.
All submissions will undergo a rigorous peer-review process to ensure high-quality scientific contributions and timely dissemination of research findings.
Dr. Francesca Merli
Dr. Chiara Chiatti
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
- sustainable materials
- building envelope
- thermal insulation
- acoustic performance
- life cycle assessment (LCA)
- bio-based materials
- recycled materials
- hygrothermal properties
- energy efficiency
- civil engineering applications
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