Durable and Sustainable Materials for the Built Environment

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the development, characterization, performance assessment, and application of sustainable construction materials, with particular emphasis on reducing environmental impact while maintaining or enhancing structural and functional performance. The Special Issue covers both fundamental and applied research, addressing materials at different scales—from raw constituents and material design to structural applications and life cycle performance in real construction contexts.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide a focused and integrated platform for high-quality contributions that advance current knowledge on sustainable construction materials and support the transition toward low-carbon, resource-efficient, and circular construction practices. By bringing together experimental, analytical, numerical, and review-based studies, this Special Issue aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue between material scientists, civil engineers, environmental researchers, and industry stakeholders.

The existing literature on sustainable construction materials is extensive but often fragmented, with studies focusing on isolated material types, individual sustainability metrics, or specific applications. This Special Issue differentiates itself by offering a consolidated and up-to-date collection of research that links material innovation with durability, performance, environmental assessment, and practical implementation. In doing so, it complements and extends previous publications by emphasizing holistic evaluation approaches, comparability of results, and the translation of laboratory-scale developments into engineering practice.

We invite you to contribute an original research article or a review paper to a forthcoming Special Issue devoted to Durable and Sustainable Materials for the Built Environment. The construction sector is one of the largest consumers of natural resources and a major contributor to global energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste generation. In response to increasing environmental concerns, regulatory pressures, and the urgent need to meet global sustainability goals, the development and application of sustainable construction materials has become a critical research priority.

Recent advances in material science, engineering, and circular economy strategies have enabled the design of construction materials with reduced environmental footprints, improved durability, and enhanced performance over their life cycle. Research in this area plays a fundamental role in enabling low-carbon infrastructure, resilient built environments, and sustainable urban development. This Special Issue seeks to provide a high-quality forum for disseminating cutting-edge research and comprehensive reviews that address these pressing challenges.

This Special Issue aims to bring together innovative and scientifically rigorous contributions that advance the understanding, development, characterization, and application of sustainable materials in construction. The topic is fully aligned with the journal’s scope, as it addresses fundamental and applied aspects of construction materials, engineering performance, durability, environmental impact, and sustainability assessment.

By focusing on sustainability-driven solutions within the construction materials domain, this Special Issue bridges material development with engineering practice and environmental responsibility. The objective is to assemble a coherent collection of at least ten high-quality articles that collectively provide new insights, methodological advances, and practical implications for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. If this target is achieved, the Special Issue may also be published in book form, further enhancing its visibility and impact.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and review papers are welcome. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

• Sustainable and low-carbon cementitious materials;
• Supplementary cementitious materials and alternative binders;
• Recycling and reuse of construction and demolition waste;
• Bio-based and natural construction materials;
• Life cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental impact analysis of construction materials;
• Durability, service life, and performance of sustainable materials;
• Energy-efficient and multifunctional construction materials;
• Self-cleaning and depolluting construction materials, photocatalytic additives for construction materials;
• Circular economy approaches in construction materials;
• Nanomaterials and advanced technologies for sustainable construction;
• Standards, regulations, and practical implementation of sustainable materials.

We believe that this Special Issue will serve as a valuable reference for the scientific community and will stimulate further research and innovation in sustainable construction materials.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Kind regards,

Prof. Dr. José Ignacio Alvarez
Dr. Gurbir Kaur
Dr. Loucas Kyriakou
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-anonymized 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.