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Designing Net-Zero Energy Buildings for a Greener Future in Sustainable Architecture

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2025) | Viewed by 2205

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yang Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
Interests: civil engineering construction; application of building information model; construction industrialization; green construction theory and practice
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Lepeng Huang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
Interests: green construction; intelligent construction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Wei Tian

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China
Interests: intelligent construction and management; construction safety; existing building renovation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In response to the escalating climate crisis and the growing need for sustainable development, the concept of Net-Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) has emerged as a pivotal innovation in the field of architecture and construction. NZEBs are designed to significantly reduce energy consumption. However, numerous technical challenges and opportunities for innovation remain.

Designing an NZEB encompasses various aspects, including architectural design, structural design, construction design, and maintenance design. The primary aim of this Special Issue is to compile cutting-edge research and innovative practices that contribute to the design, implementation, and optimization of NZEBs. We seek to provide an integrated platform to share insights, methodologies, and case studies to advance the understanding and application of NZEBs.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Architectural design strategies for NZEBs.
  • Occupant behavior and energy consumption patterns.
  • Case studies of successful renewable energy implementations in buildings.
  • Emerging technologies and materials for NZEBs.
  • The use of advanced materials and construction methods to enhance energy efficiency.
  • Energy management and smart building systems.
  • The role of smart technologies in optimizing energy use and indoor environmental quality.
  • Innovative materials and construction methods.
  • Role of artificial intelligence and machine learning in energy optimization.

Dr. Yang Yang
Dr. Lepeng Huang
Dr. Wei Tian
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

  • Net-Zero Energy Buildings
  • energy efficiency
  • green building technologies
  • green construction
  • intelligent construction
  • environmental impact reduction
  • smart building systems
  • building performance optimization

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2065 KB  
Article
Potential Use of Brewer’s Spent Grain By-Product as a Component for Sustainable Thermal Mortars
by Maria Manso, Joaquim Silva, Vítor Antunes, Isabel Ivo, João Canto and Cristina Guerra
Sustainability 2025, 17(16), 7557; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17167557 - 21 Aug 2025
Viewed by 270
Abstract
Buildings represent approximately 40% of the total energy consumption. Net-zero energy buildings (NZEBs) have lower energy demands than conventional buildings due to improved thermal insulation combined with other passive design strategies. Thermal mortars, used in insulating plasters, help improve buildings’ energy efficiency in [...] Read more.
Buildings represent approximately 40% of the total energy consumption. Net-zero energy buildings (NZEBs) have lower energy demands than conventional buildings due to improved thermal insulation combined with other passive design strategies. Thermal mortars, used in insulating plasters, help improve buildings’ energy efficiency in a cost-effective manner, with minimal added thickness, even on irregular surfaces. Brewer’s spent grain (BSG) accounts for 85% of the total by-products of the brewing industry. It is a cellulosic wood material, with a composition rich in protein (20%) and fiber (70%). Considering these properties, it has potential for use as a natural aggregate in mortars and as a sustainable material for buildings aligned with circular economy principles. This work aims to characterize BSG as a natural by-product for use in thermal mortars and identify different incorporation percentages. First, BSG was characterized in terms of its water content, particle size and volume mass. Then, mortars with BSG and fine sand, with different water contents, were produced and compared to a reference mortar and two commercially available thermal mortars. The performance of the mixtures was evaluated in terms of water absorption, mechanical behavior (namely, compressive and flexural strength) and thermal behavior. BSG mortars with a 0.25 w/c ratio presented a water absorption coefficient similar to that of the reference mortar. Overall, BSG mortars presented a mechanical strength profile similar to that of conventional thermal mortars. In the thermal test, the best BSG mortar (BSG75-w/c-0.25) achieved a stationary temperature difference between surfaces that was 8% lower than that of a commercial thermal mortar and 110% higher than that of the reference mortar. In sum, the best BSG mortars had a lower w/c ratio. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Designing Net-Zero Energy Buildings for a Greener Future in Sustainable Architecture)
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26 pages, 11031 KB  
Article
Energy and Sustainability Impacts of U.S. Buildings Under Future Climate Scenarios
by Mehdi Ghiai and Sepideh Niknia
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 6179; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17136179 - 5 Jul 2025
Viewed by 582
Abstract
Projected changes in outdoor environmental conditions are expected to significantly alter building energy demand across the United States. Yet, policymakers and designers lack typology and climate-zone-specific guidance to support long-term planning. We simulated 10 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) prototype buildings across all [...] Read more.
Projected changes in outdoor environmental conditions are expected to significantly alter building energy demand across the United States. Yet, policymakers and designers lack typology and climate-zone-specific guidance to support long-term planning. We simulated 10 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) prototype buildings across all 16 ASHRAE climate zones with EnergyPlus. Future weather files generated in Meteonorm from a CMIP6 ensemble reflected two emissions pathways (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) and two planning horizons (2050 and 2080), producing 800 simulations. Envelope parameters and schedules were held at DOE reference values to isolate the pure climate signal. Results show that cooling energy use intensity (EUI) in very hot-humid Zones 1A–2A climbs by 12% for full-service restaurants and 21% for medium offices by 2080 under RCP 8.5, while heating EUI in sub-arctic Zone 8 falls by 14–20%. Hospitals and large hotels change by < 6%, showing resilience linked to high internal gains. A simple linear-regression meta-model (R2 > 0.90) links baseline EUI to future percentage change, enabling rapid screening of vulnerable stock without further simulation. These high-resolution maps supply actionable targets for state code updates, retrofit prioritization, and long-term decarbonization planning to support climate adaptation and sustainable development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Designing Net-Zero Energy Buildings for a Greener Future in Sustainable Architecture)
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36 pages, 4500 KB  
Article
Evaluation of Personal Ecological Footprints for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: A Case Study in the UK
by Ahmed Abugabal, Mawada Abdellatif, Ana Armada Bras and Laurence Brady
Sustainability 2025, 17(12), 5415; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17125415 - 12 Jun 2025
Viewed by 805
Abstract
Climate change is one of our most critical challenges, requiring urgent and comprehensive action across all levels of society. Individual actions and their roles in mitigating and adapting to climate change remain underexplored, despite global efforts. Under this context, this study was conducted [...] Read more.
Climate change is one of our most critical challenges, requiring urgent and comprehensive action across all levels of society. Individual actions and their roles in mitigating and adapting to climate change remain underexplored, despite global efforts. Under this context, this study was conducted to evaluate the ecological footprint of individuals for climate change mitigation. A structured online survey was designed and distributed through email lists, social media platforms, and community organisations to over 200 potential participants in the northwest of the UK. Due to the anonymous nature of the survey, only 83 individuals from diverse demographics completed the questionnaire. A carbon footprint calculator using conversion factors has been employed, based on energy consumption, travel, and material goods use. Participants are categorised into four groups based on their annual CO2 emissions, ranging from less than 2 tonnes to over 10 tonnes. Personalised recommendations provided by the calculator focus on practical strategies, including adopting renewable energy, minimising unnecessary consumption, and opting for sustainable transportation. Results showed that only 5.5% of participants who employed advanced technologies and smart home technologies, 1.8% were implementing water-saving practices and 65.4% preferred to use their own car over other modes of transportation. In addition, the study found that 67.3% of participants had no or only a very limited knowledge of renewable energy technologies, indicating a need for education and awareness campaigns. The findings also highlight the importance of addressing demographic differences in ecological footprints, as these variations can provide insights into tailored policy interventions. Overall, despite the study’s limited sample size, this research contributes to the growing body of evidence on the importance of individual action in combating climate change and provides actionable insights for policymakers and educators aiming to foster a more sustainable lifestyle. Future studies with larger samples are recommended to validate and expand upon these findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Designing Net-Zero Energy Buildings for a Greener Future in Sustainable Architecture)
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