Advanced Technologies for Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Thermal Management

Dear Colleagues,

The decarbonisation of the energy sector requires a systemic transformation of thermal energy systems, with particular emphasis on the integration of district heating networks, thermal energy storage, and heat pump technologies, including systems based on reverse thermodynamic cycles for both heating and cooling applications. This Special Issue focuses on advanced solutions that enhance the efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability of integrated thermal systems and applications.

Contributions are encouraged on both individual technologies and their integration within complex energy systems and applications. For single components, detailed physical and numerical modelling approaches are welcome, especially when they provide insights into performance optimisation and operational strategies. Particular attention is given to district heating networks, thermal storage systems, and heat pumps, analysed either as standalone systems or as part of integrated and hybrid configurations. This also includes systems based on reverse-cycle thermodynamic processes when applied within integrated thermal energy frameworks (e.g., waste heat recovery from the cooling systems of data centres).

The Special Issue also addresses the role of these technologies in supporting Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) and Zero Energy Buildings (ZEBs), provided that such buildings are integrated with district heating networks, thermal storage, and heat pump systems, including reversible configurations capable of addressing both heating and cooling demands.

Renewable energy is considered primarily in terms of its effective utilisation and integration within thermal systems, rather than generation aspects.

This Special Issue contributes to the existing literature by promoting a system-level perspective, bridging detailed engineering analysis with sustainability goals, including energy efficiency, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and improved energy management in the built environment.

Remember to carefully check, in general, the aims and scope of the journal Sustainability (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability/about) and, in particular, the aims and scope of the Section Energy Sustainability (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability/sections/energy_sustainability).

Prof. Dr. Andrea Rocchetti
Dr. Luca Socci
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.