Sustainability and Energy Performance of Buildings
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 1262
Special Issue Editors
Interests: zero-energy building; building simulation; climatic data for energy applications; cost-optimal methodology; energy performance of buildings; energy certification of buildings; building envelope; EPBD standards
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: green communication; building codes; artificial intelligence; buildings plants; building retrofit; zero energy building; building simulation; energy performance of buildings; energy certification of buildings; building envelope; EPBD standards
Interests: energy and sustainable planning; energy certification of buildings; energy auditing and green energy auditing of buildings; zero-energy building design; smart buildings and smart cities
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The assessment of energy performance in buildings is a critical aspect of achieving sustainability goals in the built environment. With buildings accounting for nearly 40% of global energy consumption, accurate and effective calculation methodologies are essential for reducing energy demand and minimizing environmental impact. Advances in energy performance assessment, high-performance buildings, and sustainability-driven design strategies are shaping the future of the sector, making it crucial to explore innovative approaches and methodologies.
Energy performance assessment methodologies vary across regions and standards, encompassing dynamic simulation models, steady-state approaches, and hybrid methods that integrate real-time monitoring and artificial intelligence. These methodologies are fundamental in evaluating building efficiency, optimizing operational energy use, and guiding policy frameworks toward zero-emission and high-performance buildings.
High-performance buildings incorporate advanced design principles, innovative materials, and cutting-edge technologies to minimize energy consumption while maximizing occupant comfort and well-being. By leveraging passive strategies, renewable energy integration, and smart building systems, these buildings set new benchmarks for sustainability and resilience in the built environment.
To achieve a truly sustainable building sector, it is necessary to bridge the gap between energy performance calculations and holistic sustainability assessments. Life-cycle thinking, including embodied energy considerations, circular economy principles, and life-cycle cost analysis, plays a crucial role in shaping the future of sustainable building practices.
This Special Issue invites contributions that explore methodologies for energy performance calculation, strategies for high-performance buildings, and their intersection with sustainability principles. We welcome original research articles, short communications, and reviews covering (but not limited to) the following topics:
- Energy performance assessment methodologies and standards;
- Dynamic and steady-state modeling approaches for buildings;
- High-performance and zero-energy buildings;
- Integration of renewable energy in building performance assessment;
- Smart buildings and energy management systems;
- Life-cycle assessment (LCA) of energy performance strategies;
- Embodied energy and whole-building sustainability assessments;
- Circular economy applications in high-performance buildings;
- Case studies on energy-efficient and sustainable buildings;
- Thermal comfort evaluation;
- Energy audits of buildings and cost–benefit analysis (CBA) in the building renovation;
- Decarbonization of the building stock;
- Influence of technical building systems on environmental well-being;
- The role of digital technologies (e.g., AI, BIM) in energy performance analysis.
We look forward to receiving your contributions and fostering discussions that advance methodologies for energy performance assessment and sustainability in the built environment.
Dr. Giovanni Murano
Dr. Annalisa Galante
Prof. Giuliano Dall'O'
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
- energy performance assessment
- building energy efficiency
- high-performance buildings
- sustainability in the built environment
- dynamic and steady-state modeling
- zero-energy buildings
- renewable energy integration
- smart buildings
- life-cycle assessment (LCA)
- embodied energy
- circular economy in construction
- energy audits
- building decarbonization
- thermal comfort evaluation
- artificial intelligence (AI) in energy analysis
- building information modeling (BIM)
- building simulation
- climatic data for energy applications
- cost-optimal methodology
- energy performance of buildings
- energy certification of buildings
- building envelope
- EPBD standards
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