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Advancements in Sustainable Building Design: Enhancing Indoor Comfort and Resilience...
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Advancements in Sustainable Building Design: Enhancing Indoor Comfort and Resilience in Extreme Weather Conditions

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 4201

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Tsz Wun Tsang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Interests: indoor environmental quality (IEQ); thermal comfort; indoor air quality (IAQ); indoor sensing and Internet-of-Things (IoT); indoor pathogen transmission; building sustainability and carbon neutrality
Dr. Cehao Yu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Interests: visual comfort and mental resilience; dynamic lighting systems; tunable LED technology; circadian health; cognitive function and well-being; visual perception; sustainable building practices and the enhancement of indoor environments; resilient and adaptive living spaces

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Enhancing indoor comfort in the built environment has long been a research focus due to its significant impact on the health and well-being of building occupants. Maintaining optimal indoor comfort not only enhances building sustainability, it also minimizes energy wastage. In recent years, the effects of climate change have led to a surge in extreme weather events such as heatwaves, cold spells, severe thunderstorms, and heavy rainfall. These events have imposed substantial challenges on buildings in maintaining optimal comfort conditions for occupants.

This Special Issue aims to gather research efforts focused on innovative technologies and strategies for monitoring, maintaining, and controlling indoor environmental parameters in the face of extreme weather events caused by climate change. The primary objective of this issue is to explore sustainable building design solutions that optimize indoor comfort while ensuring resilience and adaptability to future environmental challenges. Scholars are invited to contribute research articles, reviews, communications, and concept papers, presenting their findings, methodologies, case studies, and conceptual frameworks. Our goal is to advance knowledge in the field of sustainable building design, with a specific emphasis on addressing the complex challenges posed by extreme weather conditions and climate change. This issue seeks to foster interdisciplinary discussions and provide a platform for sharing cutting-edge advancements that can contribute to the development of more resilient and environmentally conscious built environments.

Dr. Tsz Wun Tsang
Dr. Cehao Yu
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

  • indoor comfort
  • environmental acceptance
  • sustainable building design
  • extreme weather events
  • climate change
  • building resilience
  • building adaptability
  • monitoring and control
  • building sustainability
  • health and well-being
  • sustainable technologies

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2408 KiB  
Article
An Energy-Efficient Approach for Thermal Comfort and Sleep Quality in Subtropical Bedrooms
by Tsz-Wun Tsang, Kwok-Wai Mui, Kwun-Hei Cheung and Ling-Tim Wong
Sustainability 2025, 17(6), 2432; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062432 - 10 Mar 2025
Viewed by 728
Abstract
This study conducted a within-subject study to assess sleeping environmental comfort, acceptance, and self-reported sleep quality in air-conditioned and mixed-mode ventilated bedrooms in a subtropical region during the summer. A wide thermal comfort temperature range of 22.2 °C to 28.2 °C was observed, [...] Read more.
This study conducted a within-subject study to assess sleeping environmental comfort, acceptance, and self-reported sleep quality in air-conditioned and mixed-mode ventilated bedrooms in a subtropical region during the summer. A wide thermal comfort temperature range of 22.2 °C to 28.2 °C was observed, with slightly warmer thermal sensation at higher temperatures but no significant differences in sleep quality or environmental comfort acceptance within this range. Subjects adapted to warmer sleeping conditions by choosing lighter clothing and bedding insulation. Energy simulations indicated a reduction in the percentage of nights requiring cooling from 65% to 23% by increasing the set-point temperature from 22 °C to 28 °C, resulting in a potential 95% savings in cooling energy. This study advocates for an economical and energy-efficient approach to enhance sleeping thermal comfort while reducing cooling energy usage. These findings offer valuable insights for improved residential building design and optimized cooling energy management practices, especially in light of intensified climate change and the imperative for behavioral changes to promote building sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Sustainable Building Design: Enhancing Indoor Comfort and Resilience in Extreme Weather Conditions)
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32 pages, 16584 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Strategies for Improving Humanitarian Construction Through BIM and Climate Analysis
by Mwikilwa Mukamba Gladdys, Bigirimana Gentil and Ping Cao
Sustainability 2025, 17(4), 1556; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17041556 - 13 Feb 2025
Viewed by 883
Abstract
The growing need for effective and sustainable solutions in humanitarian construction has prompted scholars and practitioners to explore technical approaches that address the challenges of natural disasters, health emergencies, armed conflicts and migratory flows. These solutions often encompass temporary shelters, durable shelters and [...] Read more.
The growing need for effective and sustainable solutions in humanitarian construction has prompted scholars and practitioners to explore technical approaches that address the challenges of natural disasters, health emergencies, armed conflicts and migratory flows. These solutions often encompass temporary shelters, durable shelters and multifunctional buildings designed to balance rapid deployment, cultural sensitivity and environmental sustainability. However, the assessment of sustainability in humanitarian construction remains insufficiently defined due to the complexities of crises, the variability of local materials and the impact of local climatic conditions. This study aims to bridge this gap by integrating Building Information Modeling (BIM) and simulation tools such as COMSOL Multiphysics 6.0 to study sustainable strategies for humanitarian housing. Using case studies aligned with IFRC, UNHCR and CRL (Red Cross of Luxembourg) family shelter standards, the research assessed a Climate and Local Skill-Centered Design (CLCD) by examining the performance of key design elements, including wall material emissivity and reflectance, natural lighting, and energy efficiency within the context of indoor thermal comfort. Simulation results revealed that wall finishing material reflectance significantly influences average daylight factors (D), with variations of 2% to 5% linked to lower reflectance values and changes in the window-to-floor ratio (WFR). Conversely, thermal comfort metrics indicated minimal variations in heat discomfort hours, maintaining indoor temperatures between 19 °C and 25 °C, consistent with ASHRAE Standard 55 thermal comfort criteria. This paper underscores the importance of integrating advanced IT tools and green local techniques and materials to optimize humanitarian housing for health, comfort and environmental performance, offering actionable insights for future humanitarian sustainable designs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Sustainable Building Design: Enhancing Indoor Comfort and Resilience in Extreme Weather Conditions)
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Review

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27 pages, 2528 KiB  
Review
A Review of the Current Status and Prospects of Improving Indoor Environment for Lightweight Buildings in High-Altitude Cold Regions
by Ziming Liao, Chunlong Zhuang, Guangqin Huang, Hongyu Zhang, Shengbo Li, Xinyi Zhang, Lei Cheng and Fei Gan
Sustainability 2024, 16(24), 11007; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162411007 - 15 Dec 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1654
Abstract
Lightweight structures, characterized by rapid assembly, are vital for creating habitats in outdoor environments, but their implementation in high-plateau cold regions encounters significant challenges in heating and ventilation. This paper systematically introduces the environmental characteristics and reviews the demands and primary influencing factors [...] Read more.
Lightweight structures, characterized by rapid assembly, are vital for creating habitats in outdoor environments, but their implementation in high-plateau cold regions encounters significant challenges in heating and ventilation. This paper systematically introduces the environmental characteristics and reviews the demands and primary influencing factors of indoor environments in these regions. The advantages and limitations of underground lightweight construction are also discussed. Current research indicates that evaluation methods for air quality in high-altitude cold regions require further development. Reducing building heat loss and minimizing cold air infiltration can enhance indoor environments and lower energy consumption. However, it is essential to establish effective ventilation strategies to prevent the accumulation of air pollutants. Then, potential passive ventilation improvement measures suitable for the environmental characteristics of high-cold plateaus are outlined. The application potential and possible limitations of these measures are summarized, providing references for future research. Finally, the main research methods for ventilation and heating within building interiors are organized and discussed. Findings indicate that computational fluid dynamics models are predominantly used, but they demonstrate low efficiency and high resource consumption for medium- to large-scale applications. Integrating these models with network models can achieve a balance of high computational accuracy and efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Sustainable Building Design: Enhancing Indoor Comfort and Resilience in Extreme Weather Conditions)
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