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Efficient Sustainable Material and Technology Solutions in the Construction Industry

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (26 October 2023) | Viewed by 19292

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jozef Švajlenka

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Civil Engineering, Department of Construction Technology, Economy and Management, Laboratory of Construction Technology and Management, Technical University of Košice, 042 00 Košice, Slovakia
Interests: buildings; economy; environment; ecological building materials; efficiency; life cycle buildings; innovation; sustainable; wood construction

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

“Efficient Sustainable Technology and Material Solutions in the Construction Industry” is the lead motif of the next Special Issue of Sustainability. This Special Issue is focused on the much-debated issues regarding the low degree of efficiency and sustainability in the construction industry.

The growing shortage of resources available in the construction sector and of a qualified workforce in particular puts growing pressure on improving construction efficiency. There is a need to constantly monitor and quantify the production and completion processes in construction. Quantifying efficiency reveals the possibility of implementing more efficient, cleaner, and more sustainable technological solutions.

Permanently sustainable development is a term that is now present in various fields of social and economic life. This trend is irreversible and people should recognise what it means for them. It means growth which allows the satisfaction of the present generation’s needs without threatening the satisfaction of the needs of future generations. The state and society must, and do, recognize the importance of sustainable development, as society’s survival depends on it. This is confirmed by the fact that this concept has now been built into directives and legal regulations.

According to the European Union and the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, globally speaking, construction is a sector with the lowest productivity. Whereas in other industries, production since 1964 has doubled on average, in the construction sector, it has dropped by 10 percent on average. Construction of buildings and their operation is one of the main forms of consumption of material and energy resources, not just during the completion stage, but also during all periods of their existence (so-called construction life cycle). During the life cycle of a construction, the following phases are key: the manufacturing of building products and materials, construction, and the use of buildings with respect to ecological, social, and economic aspects.

The use of innovative methods in construction, ecological material bases, and efficient and innovation solutions is a response to an increase in construction productivity, as these innovative methods provide efficient procedures (for both construction design and completion) that increase the level of production, with better quality and faster construction.

As part of effective and sustainable solutions, new and unexplored technological and material solutions are increasingly emerging that need to be explored. This Special Issue provides a great opportunity to publish innovative approaches and research in the mentioned areas and those related to the topic.

We are looking forward to hearing from you.

Dr. Jozef Švajlenka
Guest Editor

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

Building energy efficiency
environmental impact
ecological building materials
efficiency
life cycle of buildings
innovative methods of construction
sustainable building materials
wood
wood construction

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 25240 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Implementing the Technologies of Additional Impermeable Layers in a Building of the Monuments Office (Káčerov Majer) from a Sustainability Point of View

by Patrik Št’astný, Peter Makýš, Ivan Vavrík and Daniel Kalús

Sustainability 2023, 15(14), 11187; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151411187 - 18 Jul 2023

Viewed by 712

Abstract

This article presents the results of an experiment that involved applying additional impermeable layers on an historical building in the area of Káčerov Majer. The building showed a high level of waterlogging, which was detected by an initial inspection and subsequent moisture measurements that involved taking a set of measurements and recording the data in a spreadsheet linked to the plan view of the building. Then, a suitable method was devised to prevent rising damp and to assist in drying out the building. Several measurements after the application of remediation interventions were used for this purpose. The interventions, together with a comprehensive restoration, were intended to contribute to the reuse of the building, and thus its sustainability from technical, environmental, functional, and economic points of view. The aim of this research was to demonstrate the degree of effectiveness of undercutting technology in combination with local application of stainless-steel sheet piling and grouting technology, as one example of sustainability, which is a very relevant topic at the moment. These technologies were intended to provide remediation of the building against rising damp which was destructive to the structure. The environment in this building was affected by moisture and was also unhealthy, which made it difficult to use the building. For these reasons, it was necessary to take radical steps, by applying invasive anti-moisture technologies. The appropriateness and effectiveness of the technologies used have been evidenced by the results published in this article that have also been supplemented by photographs before and after the application of the remediation measures. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of the interventions and the need to also implement them on certain selected buildings where there is a high level of dampness causing degradation. From a sustainability point of view, such a step is essential to preserve the life of such structures and their continued use. The results of this research clearly demonstrate the appropriateness of comprehensive restoration of selected historical buildings, complemented by invasive damp-proofing interventions, as one of the important aspects of the sustainability of deteriorating monuments, whose numbers are constantly increasing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficient Sustainable Material and Technology Solutions in the Construction Industry)

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18 pages, 2259 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thermal Comfort Prediction Accuracy with Machine Learning between Regression Analysis and Naïve Bayes Classifier

by Hidayatus Sibyan, Jozef Svajlenka, Hermawan Hermawan, Nasyiin Faqih and Annisa Nabila Arrizqi

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 15663; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315663 - 24 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2083

Abstract

Various data analysis methods can make thermal comfort prediction models. One method that is often used is multiple linear regression statistical analysis. Regression analysis needs to be checked for accuracy with other analytical methods. This study compares the making of a thermal comfort prediction model with regression analysis and naïve Bayes analysis. The research method used quantitative methods for data collection regarding thermal comfort. The thermal comfort variable, consisting of eight independent variables and one dependent variable, was measured at Wonosobo High School, Indonesia. The analysis to make the prediction model was carried out with two different analyses: multiple linear regression analysis and naïve Bayes analysis. The results show that naïve Bayes is more accurate than multiple linear regression analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficient Sustainable Material and Technology Solutions in the Construction Industry)

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17 pages, 3539 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis and Research on the Use of Bulk Recycled Materials for Sound Insulation Applications

by Miroslav Badida, Marek Moravec, Miriama Pinosova, Miriam Andrejiova, Kristián Pástor, Alžbeta Nováková and Tibor Dzuro

Sustainability 2022, 14(18), 11539; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811539 - 14 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1676

Abstract

The application of recycled materials from the automotive industry in the field of the construction industry is a suitable alternative application for these materials and the use of their acoustic and thermal insulation properties. The output of recycling is granular, or chopped materials that can be used as a substitute for conventional materials. One of the important features of building materials is their acoustic properties. The measurement and evaluation of acoustic properties is carried out using an impedance tube as equipment. Measuring compact materials is quite simple and requires the preparation of a sample. Measuring the acoustic properties of granular bulk materials is more complicated and requires the development and production of a special test cartridge. Recycled bulk materials from the automotive industry such as rubber granules and chopped textiles can be applied as fillings for dividing structures. The aim of this paper was to assess the acoustic properties of different fractions of recycled rubber granules and textile chopped material and to compare acoustic properties with compact rubber and textile panels. To evaluate and compare sound absorption coefficient (α) and sound transmission loss (R) parameters, we used basic statistical methods and hypothesis testing methods. The production of compact panels is quite expensive since it is necessary to use special synthetic binders in production, and the content of these substances can also have negative effects on the environment. Based on the results of measuring the acoustic properties of bulk recycled materials and comparing them with compact materials, we can conclude that bulk recycled rubber and textile materials have very good values for their acoustic properties, which enables them to be used in several areas of industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficient Sustainable Material and Technology Solutions in the Construction Industry)

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19 pages, 4694 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Adaptive Cycle Pavements Using Composite Foam Concrete at High Altitudes in Central Europe

by Martin Decky, Katarina Hodasova, Zuzana Papanova and Eva Remisova

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9034; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159034 - 23 Jul 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2956

Abstract

Climate pavement adaptability is an integral part of a holistic concept of road design, construction, and pavement management. One of the possibilities for fulfilling the mentioned author’s premise in sustainable cycle pavements in the cold region of Central Europe is using composite foam concrete (CFC). To establish the credibility of the design of these pavements, we objectified the correlation dependencies of average annual air temperatures and frost indexes, for altitude regions from 314 to 858 m in the period 1971 to 2020, at its height above sea level. As part of the research on the increase in tensile strength during bending of CFC, extensive laboratory measurements were carried out and validated by isomorphic models of real roads, which enabled an increase in tensile strength during bending from 0.376 to 1.370 N·mm⁻² for basalt reinforcing mesh. The research results, verified through FEM (Finite Element Method) models of cycle pavements, demonstrated a possible reduction of total pavement thickness from 56 to 38 cm for rigid pavements and 48 to 38 cm for flexible pavements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficient Sustainable Material and Technology Solutions in the Construction Industry)

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15 pages, 1791 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Is the Timber Construction Sector Prepared for E-Commerce via Instagram^®? A Perspective from Brazil

by Victor De Araujo, Jozef Švajlenka, Juliano Vasconcelos, Herisson Santos, Sheyla Serra, Fernando Almeida Filho, José Paliari, Francisco Rocco Lahr and André Christoforo

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8683; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148683 - 15 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1594

Abstract

Timber construction is a contemporary solution where sales are performed through in-store trade. Timber house e-commerce may stimulate global markets, and in times of intense remote routines, it is useful to improve the performance of the wood and construction sectors. Timber housing producers and dealers are the research object under analysis to study the electronic market of this Brazilian sector on Instagram^®. With just over four hundred companies, nearly 80% of this sector already utilizes this virtual social network. We validated the outcomes through a significant sampling of all 315 companies with corporate profiles to identify their competences, goals, and failures. The profiles prioritize the elucidation of products and basic features, not yet being ready for the virtual sales of timber houses. The study makes it clear that our results typify a sector marked by a developing electronic market. Inserting a description of product prices and detailed specifications may change this status. From failures and competences, a classification for social profiles was proposed to measure the progress and virtual participation of each individual. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficient Sustainable Material and Technology Solutions in the Construction Industry)

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16 pages, 8547 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Experimental Survey of the Sound Absorption Performance of Natural Fibres in Comparison with Conventional Insulating Materials

by Veronika Gumanová, Lýdia Sobotová, Tibor Dzuro, Miroslav Badida and Marek Moravec

Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4258; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14074258 - 3 Apr 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2860

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate the acoustic properties of natural fibres and compare them with the values achieved by common insulation materials used in the construction of buildings. Three materials based on biomass were used for testing, namely cork, hemp and fibreboard. From the group of conventional materials, mineral wool, propylat and polyurethane foam were selected. For the purpose of determining the values of the sound absorption coefficient (α), the absorber specimens were tested using the impedance tube and two microphones method, according to standard ISO 10534-2. The measurement was performed for thicknesses of 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 mm. The highest sound absorption of all materials was measured with a hemp sample at a frequency of 2000 Hz (α = 0.99) and a thickness of 20 mm. The lowest performance was achieved by cork at the same thickness and frequency of 100 Hz (α = 0.02). Among biomass materials, hemp dominated in the entire frequency range and at all thicknesses. The lowest values were for cork, from 160 to 500 Hz with a tendency to exceed the values of the fibreboard sample. Among conventional materials, mineral wool achieved the best results, while the lowest values were recorded for propylat with the occasional exception of the highest frequencies from 1600 to 2500 Hz. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficient Sustainable Material and Technology Solutions in the Construction Industry)

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Review

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18 pages, 6647 KiB

Open AccessReview

Masonry in the Context of Sustainable Buildings: A Review of the Brick Role in Architecture

by Asaad Almssad, Amjad Almusaed and Raad Z. Homod

Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 14734; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142214734 - 9 Nov 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5734

Abstract

The process of combining various parts to create a structure is called building. The most effective and significant component of any construction is masonry. The Colosseum, buildings from ancient Greece and Rome, Central American buildings, and Mycenaean structures all used this material as one of their primary building elements. The oldest form is dry masonry of irregularly shaped stones. The ecological qualities of masonry, as a restorative material with a low impact on the environment, as well as the environmental control capacity of the massive wall, bring masonry back to attention as a suitable material for sustainable building in the context of current concerns for sustainable architecture. This article takes the form of a review of the journey of masonry as the primary construction material—from prehistoric structures to modern-day edifices. This article will go through the fundamentals of masonry construction to support its usage in structures throughout history and in many architectural styles, as a crucial representation of human construction in architectural history. This article aims to create a historical review, presenting masonry as an essential building material and assessing its role in the history of building materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficient Sustainable Material and Technology Solutions in the Construction Industry)

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