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Sustainability
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Sustainable Energy Saving Building Envelopes
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Sustainable Energy Saving Building Envelopes

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (26 March 2023) | Viewed by 20556

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sivanand Somasundaram

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Experimental Power Grid Centre of Energy Research Institute (Nanyang Technological University), Jurong Island 627590, Singapore
Interests: thermal management of buildings; data centers and electronic systems; reneweable energy
Dr. Swapnil Dubey

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Energy Research Institute at Nanyang Technological Institute (ERI@N), Singapore 637553, Singapore
Interests: sustainable building technologies; building cooling and air distribution; building automation and control system; zero and positive energy building; integration with solar photovoltaic / thermal; dehumidification; co-generation system; thermal energy storage; waste heat recovery

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Designing sustainable energy-efficient buildings is the key to reducing the carbon footprint from the building sector, which typically contributes to at least 30–40% of carbon emissions in most countries. Building energy efficiency can be achieved by the use of highly efficient and intelligent smart systems. However, the first and critical area to be addressed is the building envelope. The best envelopes are those which produce the least carbon emissions during manufacturing and construction, have a long lifetime and reduce the energy and humidity transfer into the conditioned areas of the building while using optimal daylighting techniques. As such, the scope of this Special Issue focuses on novel developments in energy-efficient building envelopes such as (but not limited to)

  • Low-e glass / electrochromic smart glass developments;
  • Cool paints;
  • Solar films for glass facades;
  • Lightweight, low cost, good insulating materials;
  • Phase change material embedment over roofs or facades;
  • Green roofs and walls;
  • BIPV facades, windows etc.;
  • Novel shades and blind systems.

Papers covering the development of new materials and the testing of new products either via simulation or via real life test beds etc. are welcome.

Why you should consider publishing in this Special Issue:

  • It is very focused issue covering the topic of building envelopes and would help you to reach the correct niche audience, which can help in future project collaborations.
  • The impact factor of Sustainability journal is 3.889
  • The journal has an active editorial and review team and the processing time is short (about 4 weeks).
  • The journal is published under open access and so will reach the public widely and will have more impact.

Dr. Sivanand Somasundaram
Dr. Swapnil Dubey
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

  • low-e glass
  • electrochromic glass
  • BIPV
  • PCM roofs and facades
  • green roofs and facades
  • soalr films
  • cool paint
  • smart blind systems
  • insulating building materials

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.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 2191 KiB  
Article
The Use of the Taguchi Method with Grey Relational Analysis for Nanofluid-Phase Change-Optimized Parameter Design at a Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Thermal Composite Module for Small Households
by Dong-Kai Liu, Chien-Chun Hsieh, Ting-Wei Liao and Chung-Feng Jeffrey Kuo
Sustainability 2023, 15(20), 15163; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152015163 - 23 Oct 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1410
Abstract
This study aims to optimize the process parameters of the nanofluid-phase change-solar photovoltaic thermal (nanofluid-PCM-PV/T) composite module. In particular, the organic paraffin was selected as a phase change material, while water, CuO, and Al2O3 were selected as nanofluids. The TRNSYS [...] Read more.
This study aims to optimize the process parameters of the nanofluid-phase change-solar photovoltaic thermal (nanofluid-PCM-PV/T) composite module. In particular, the organic paraffin was selected as a phase change material, while water, CuO, and Al2O3 were selected as nanofluids. The TRNSYS 16.0 software was employed to model and analyze the composite module. The Taguchi method with the main effect analysis (MEA), analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the orthogonal table were established to investigate the impact of each control factor on the power generation and heat storage efficiency. Grey relational analysis (GRA) was adopted to obtain the parameters for multi-quality optimization. The result showed that the power generation efficiency in this study was 14.958%, and the heat storage efficiency was 64.764%. Meanwhile, in the conventional PV/T module, the former was 12.74%, and the latter was 34.06%, respectively. Verification results showed that the confidence intervals of both single-quality and multi-quality optimization parameter sets were within 95%. The errors of the results from both theoretical simulation and real testing were smaller than 5%. In the case of a generally small family of four members using electric/water heaters, the rooftop module in this study was more efficient than the typical rooftop PV/T by 25.04%. The former’s investment recovery period was lower than 0.81 years. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Saving Building Envelopes)
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17 pages, 8255 KiB  
Article
Influence of Facade Greening with Ivy on Thermal Performance of Masonry Walls
by Alexander Pichlhöfer, Azra Korjenic, Abdulah Sulejmanovski and Erich Streit
Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9546; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129546 - 14 Jun 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1927
Abstract
Heat transfer through building envelopes is a crucial aspect of energy efficiency in construction. Masonry walls, being a commonly used building material, have a significant impact on thermal performance. In recent years, green roofs and walls have gained popularity as a means of [...] Read more.
Heat transfer through building envelopes is a crucial aspect of energy efficiency in construction. Masonry walls, being a commonly used building material, have a significant impact on thermal performance. In recent years, green roofs and walls have gained popularity as a means of improving energy efficiency, reducing urban heat islands, and enhancing building aesthetics. This study aims to investigate the effect of ivy (Hedera helix) greening on heat transfer through masonry walls and their corresponding surface temperatures. Ivy was chosen as a model plant due to its widespread use and ability to cover large surface areas. The results of this study suggest that ivy greening can have a significant impact on the thermal performance of masonry walls. During winter, the heat transfer coefficient of greened walls was found to be up to 30% lower compared to non-greened walls. This indicates that ivy greening can help reduce energy consumption for heating and thus improve the energy efficiency of buildings. In addition, the surface temperature under the ivy was found to be significantly higher than on the bare wall during winter. However, during summer, the surface temperature under the ivy was lower than on the bare wall, which may help reduce cooling energy consumption. The results of this study are consistent with previous research in the field. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the potential benefits of ivy greening on the thermal performance of masonry walls. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Saving Building Envelopes)
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19 pages, 4711 KiB  
Article
Experimental Assessment of the Thermal Influence of a Continuous Living Wall in a Subtropical Climate in Brazil
by Murilo Cruciol-Barbosa, Maria Solange Gurgel de Castro Fontes and Maximiliano dos Anjos Azambuja
Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 2985; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15042985 - 7 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1760
Abstract
A continuous living wall is a vertical garden that allows the cultivation of a wide variety of species on vertical surfaces, consisting of a sequence of layers that shade and add thermal resistance to the external façades of buildings. Thus, the living wall [...] Read more.
A continuous living wall is a vertical garden that allows the cultivation of a wide variety of species on vertical surfaces, consisting of a sequence of layers that shade and add thermal resistance to the external façades of buildings. Thus, the living wall can be an alternative to increase the thermal efficiency of the building and reduce the use of air conditioning for cooling the indoor environment. This work experimentally investigated the thermal influence of a continuous living wall on the surface temperatures of an east façade in a subtropical climate with hot summers (Cfa), during the summer period. The experiment included the implementation of a real living wall in a seasonally used building and the delimitation of two sample plots (i.e., protected and bare wall). Campaigns were carried out to measure the external and internal surface temperatures of the protected plot, the living wall, and the bare wall, as well as the cavity air temperature, from 08:00 to 17:45, at 15-min intervals. The results show the efficiency of the living wall in reducing the external (up to 10.6 °C) and internal (up to 2.9 °C) surface temperatures of the protected plot compared to the bare wall, along with a reduction in thermal variation (average reduction of 6.5 °C externally and 3.6 °C internally) and an increase in thermal delay (up to 6 h for external and 1 h for internal), in addition to a reduction in temperature and greater thermal stability of the cavity between the garden and the protected land in comparison to the external space. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Saving Building Envelopes)
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17 pages, 2175 KiB  
Article
Tilt Angle and Orientation Assessment of Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) System for Sub-Saharan Tropical Regions: Case Study Douala, Cameroon
by Aloys Martial Ekoe A Akata, Donatien Njomo, Basant Agrawal, Auguste Mackpayen and Abdel-Hamid Mahamat Ali
Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 15591; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315591 - 23 Nov 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3701
Abstract
Photovoltaic systems when integrated into a building structure can satisfy the world’s energy requirements at a competitive cost by providing onsite electrical and thermal energies for domestic appliances. The energy yield of the photovoltaic system is affected by the intensity of the solar [...] Read more.
Photovoltaic systems when integrated into a building structure can satisfy the world’s energy requirements at a competitive cost by providing onsite electrical and thermal energies for domestic appliances. The energy yield of the photovoltaic system is affected by the intensity of the solar radiation, wind speed, tilt angle, orientation, geographical location, etc. This paper presents an optimisation model of the tilt angle and orientation of a photovoltaic thermal system. A methodology has been developed to optimize the tilted angle of the roof for higher exergy output taking into account the intensity of solar radiation, wind speed, geographical location, cost of cleaning dust, etc. For a system installed in the city of Douala, Cameroon, it is recommended that the PV should be inclined at an angle between 10° and 20° south-facing for economical output. The cost per unit of electricity between the tilt inclination angles from 0° to 20° with south orientation is USD 0.04 per kWh. The cost of electricity loss due to a 20° tilt inclination angle can be compensated with the labour cost and work required for cleaning the photovoltaic thermal (PVT) system of the horizontal roof. The system installed over an effective area of 8 m2 is capable of producing annual net exergy of 2195.81 kWh/year at an efficiency of 11.8%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Saving Building Envelopes)
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Review

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25 pages, 753 KiB  
Review
A Systematic Review of the Most Recent Concepts in Smart Windows Technologies with a Focus on Electrochromics
by Marcin Brzezicki
Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9604; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179604 - 26 Aug 2021
Cited by 56 | Viewed by 10396
Abstract
In the context of sustainability and in the face of ambitious goals towards the reduction of CO2 emission, the modification of transparency in architecture becomes an important tool of energy flow management into the building. Windows that dim to stop the energy [...] Read more.
In the context of sustainability and in the face of ambitious goals towards the reduction of CO2 emission, the modification of transparency in architecture becomes an important tool of energy flow management into the building. Windows that dim to stop the energy transfer reduce the cooling load in the building. Recently, however, the latest achievements in the development of electrochromic materials allowed us to integrate some additional—previously unknown—functionalities into EC devices. The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of recent technological innovations in the field of smart windows and present the possibilities of recently established functionalities. This review article outlines recent general progress in electrochromic but concentrates on multicolour and neutral black electrochromism, spectrally selective systems, electrochromic energy storage windows, hybrid EC/TC systems, OLED lighting integrated with the EC device, and EC devices powered by solar cells. The review was based on the most recent publication from the years 2015–2020 recorded in the databases WoS and Scopus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Saving Building Envelopes)
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