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Sustainability
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Sustainable Homes of Tomorrow: Innovations in Materials and Design
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Sustainable Homes of Tomorrow: Innovations in Materials and Design

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 1510

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Yi Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Wooden Material Science and Application, Beijing Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: furniture and interior decoration projects; biomass composite materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The built environment is a significant contributor to global resource consumption and waste generation, underscoring the urgent need to transition from linear, extractive models to circular and regenerative paradigms. Conventional approaches to home design, often reliant on energy-intensive materials and short-lived products, are no longer tenable. Therefore, pioneering the next generation of sustainable homes through innovations in materials and design is critical for achieving our global environmental and well-being goals.

This Special Issue, titled “Sustainable Homes of Tomorrow: Innovations in Materials and Design”, is dedicated to advancing the frontier of eco-conscious living spaces. It seeks to showcase the latest breakthroughs in the development, application, and assessment of sustainable materials—from bio-based composites and recycled polymers to modified wood and renewable textiles—and the innovative design strategies that unlock their potential. By harnessing these advancements and embracing principles such as circularity and disassembly, we can pave the way for high-performance, low-carbon homes that align with a sustainable future, promoting resource efficiency, health, and resilience.

We invite the submission of original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and insightful perspective papers that explore the intersection of material science, industrial design, architecture, and environmental sustainability.

Topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Bio-based and recycled materials;
  • Circular economy;
  • Life cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental impact;
  • Sustainable interior and architecture design;
  • Design for sustainable user behavior;
  • Green home and building decoration materials;
  • Digital fabrication and sustainable manufacturing.

We look forward to receiving your contributions. 

Dr. Yi Liu
Guest Editor

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-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

  • sustainable design
  • circular economy
  • green materials
  • furniture innovation
  • life cycle assessment
  • renewable resources
  • bio-based composites

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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

16 pages, 2312 KB  
Article
High-Performance, Formaldehyde-Free Particleboard for Sustainable Housing: Process Optimization of Halloysite Nanotube-Reinforced Isocyanate Adhesives
by Wenrui Ma, Feifei Song, Wenjie Zhang, Dan Fang, Wenzhao Wang and Jijuan Zhang
Sustainability 2026, 18(10), 5123; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18105123 - 19 May 2026
Viewed by 226
Abstract
This study aims to develop a high-performance, formaldehyde-free particleboard for sustainable housing using halloysite nanotube (HNT)-reinforced isocyanate adhesive. HNTs were incorporated into the isocyanate matrix via magnetic stirring followed by mechanical mixing, with loading levels systematically optimized from 0 to 3.0 wt%. Particleboard [...] Read more.
This study aims to develop a high-performance, formaldehyde-free particleboard for sustainable housing using halloysite nanotube (HNT)-reinforced isocyanate adhesive. HNTs were incorporated into the isocyanate matrix via magnetic stirring followed by mechanical mixing, with loading levels systematically optimized from 0 to 3.0 wt%. Particleboard panels were fabricated and tested according to standard procedures. The optimal HNT loading was found to be 1.5 wt%. Compared with panels bonded with unmodified adhesive, those fabricated with the optimized HNT-reinforced adhesive exhibited significantly enhanced performance: surface bonding strength increased by 71.79% (to 2.01 MPa), internal bonding strength by 54.35% (to 0.71 MPa), modulus of rupture by 107.53% (to 19.3 MPa), modulus of elasticity by 59.95% (to 3191 MPa), and the 2 h water absorption thickness swelling rate decreased by 95.83% (to 0.1%). These results demonstrate that the optimized dispersion process and HNT loading are critical for achieving superior adhesive performance, providing a viable pathway toward high-performance, formaldehyde-free particleboard for sustainable housing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Homes of Tomorrow: Innovations in Materials and Design)
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15 pages, 476 KB  
Article
An Integrated Life Cycle Assessment Model for the Carbon Storage Cycle of Wood Products: A Case Study of Medium-Density Fiberboard in China
by Xiujuan Qin, Cong Mao, Minghui Guo, Hui Wan and Lei Qin
Sustainability 2026, 18(6), 2681; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18062681 - 10 Mar 2026
Viewed by 382
Abstract
Conventional life cycle assessment (LCA) of wood products often lacks a dynamic representation of biogenic carbon flows, leading to an oversimplified account of their climate impact. This study introduces a novel methodological framework by integrating a four-stage carbon storage cycle (carbon sequestration, first [...] Read more.
Conventional life cycle assessment (LCA) of wood products often lacks a dynamic representation of biogenic carbon flows, leading to an oversimplified account of their climate impact. This study introduces a novel methodological framework by integrating a four-stage carbon storage cycle (carbon sequestration, first carbon emission, extension of carbon storage, and second carbon emission) with the ISO 14067:2018 standard for product carbon footprinting. We developed a transparent calculation model to partition CO2 emissions across production, transportation, and disposal stages using a representative medium-density fiberboard (MDF) production case in China for empirical validation. The results reveal a total emission of 32.8135 kg CO2/m2, with a striking 59% originating from the disposal and recycling stage, overshadowing production (39%) and transportation (2%). This finding underscores the critical, yet often neglected, role of end-of-life management in the carbon footprint of manufactured wood panels. The study provides a replicable template for dynamic carbon accounting of wood products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Homes of Tomorrow: Innovations in Materials and Design)
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16 pages, 1662 KB  
Article
Renewable Montmorillonite-Based Antibacterial Functionalization of Particleboards for Sustainable and Healthy Indoor Environments
by Yao Pang, Jun Zhou, Hui Shi, Siyao Wang, Jintao He, Hongwu Guo, Daihui Zhang and Yi Liu
Sustainability 2026, 18(4), 1966; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18041966 - 13 Feb 2026
Viewed by 540
Abstract
Wood-based particleboards are a key component of sustainable building materials due to their renewable and low-carbon nature. However, their susceptibility to microbial contamination poses a significant challenge to indoor environmental quality and durability, limiting their alignment with the principles of a healthy and [...] Read more.
Wood-based particleboards are a key component of sustainable building materials due to their renewable and low-carbon nature. However, their susceptibility to microbial contamination poses a significant challenge to indoor environmental quality and durability, limiting their alignment with the principles of a healthy and circular built environment. In this study, a sustainable antibacterial modification strategy was developed by employing natural montmorillonite (MMT) as a renewable mineral carrier to address the challenge. A synergistic antibacterial agent (Cu2+/ZnO@MMT-O) was engineered via ion exchange and co-precipitation, effectively immobilizing Cu2+ ions and ZnO nanoparticles within the MMT structure. This process preserved the layered structure of the carrier while simultaneously enhancing its specific surface area and mesoporosity. Antibacterial tests revealed that the Cu2+/ZnO@MMT-O exhibited markedly higher antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus than single-component counterparts, indicating a pronounced synergistic effect. At an additive loading of 1.25%, the particleboards exhibited antibacterial rates exceeding 99% against both tested bacteria, while their mechanical properties (MOR 10.65 MPa, MOE 2304.40 MPa, and IB 0.29 MPa) and dimensional stability (24 h TS 16.31%) compliant with national standards. Overall, this work presents a practical and sustainable approach to enhancing the hygienic performance of renewable wood composites through the integration of mineral carriers with synergistic nanoscale antibacterial mechanisms, thereby contributing to healthier indoor environments and the development of green and healthy residential materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Homes of Tomorrow: Innovations in Materials and Design)
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