Low-Energy Buildings and Low-Carbon Grid Systems
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Building".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: low-energy buildings; low-carbon power grids; energy-efficient buildings
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: net-zero energy buildings; renewable energy flexibility; energy storage; smart grid management and optimization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Low-energy buildings and low-carbon grid systems are important for achieving carbon neutrality in the building sector, as the largest contributor to global final energy use and carbon emissions. The synergy between low-energy buildings and low-carbon grid systems is a key pathway toward sustainable energy transition. Low-energy buildings reduce operational energy consumption and carbon emissions through optimized envelope design, enhanced efficiency, and the integration of renewable energy. Meanwhile, low-carbon grid systems incorporate renewable generation, energy storage, and intelligent control technologies to maintain energy balance and grid stability. The integration of these two systems enables demand-side management, load optimization, and improved resilience in achieving carbon reduction targets. However, several technical challenges remain, including storage degradation, energy congestion between renewable sources and the grid, and flexible grid operations.
Low-energy buildings and low-carbon grid systems are forms of sustainable energy development. Advanced design strategies in low-energy buildings contribute to significant reductions in operational demand, and their integration with low-carbon grids facilitates the utilization of renewable resources, load optimization, and system stability. Moreover, the transition from isolated building energy saving to integrated building grid synergy provides effective pathways for energy planning, intelligent management, and interactive energy sharing, thereby accelerating the establishment of a carbon-neutral urban energy community.
Considering the growing interest in this topic, we are organizing a Special Issue entitled “Low-Energy Buildings and Low-Carbon Grid Systems”, aimed at reporting the most recent findings by researchers and sector professionals. Original manuscripts are encouraged, covering the following themes:
- Low-energy buildings;
- Low-carbon grid systems;
- Demand response;
- Grid and building energy system integration;
- Smart energy system;
- Grid-responsive buildings.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Prof. Dr. Huijun Wu
Dr. Jia Liu
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-energy buildings
- low-carbon grid systems
- demand response
- grid and building energy system integration
- smart energy system
- grid-responsive building
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