Special Issue "Towards Sustainable Built Environment: Trending Methods and Practices"

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Engineering and Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Serdar Durdyev
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Architectural and Engineering Studies, Ara Institute of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
Interests: building information modelling; construction management; sustainable construction; construction engineering
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Dr. Amir Mahdiyar
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
Interests: construction management; green roof; fuzzy-based multicriteria decision-making methods; sustainability in construction; decision support system; risk management; probabilistic simulation
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Syuhaida Ismail
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, 54100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Interests: project management; construction management; civil engineering; construction technology; sustainable construction; infrastructure; sustainable cities
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable built environments are intended to include construction works and projects that do not harm the three pillars of sustainable development, which are environment, economy, and social life. However, the built environment continues to deplete resources, consume large amounts of energy, and generate greenhouse gas emissions, and construction of the built environment is known as one of the hazardous industries. These are only some of the examples of the impacts of the sector on the pillars of sustainable development. In addition, due to its long-lasting products (about 80 years in developed countries), construction of the built environment is regarded as an unusual case among other industries and thus requires special attention. Resource- and energy-efficient practices (e.g., the use of eco-materials and green roof installation), adoption of advanced construction technologies (e.g., building information modelling and augmented reality), and innovative construction delivery methods (e.g., integrated project delivery) are only some of the noteworthy attempts that have been made to date in combating the sustainability issues caused by the industry. Although the sustainable construction context has received significant attention, the proposed Special Issue offers an opportunity for researchers to disseminate their findings, which will provide concise and practical solutions to move forward in effective and efficient utilization of non-renewable resources in particular in order to balance the pillars of sustainable development. The Special Issue also provides a good opportunity to understand how the sustainable development of the built environment has been affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic economically and socially. The Special Issue particularly seeks studies that focus on the use of advanced construction technologies, materials, and methods that can benefit the industry worldwide.

Dr. Serdar Durdyev
Dr. Amir Mahdiyar
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Syuhaida Ismail
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 papers will be 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 1900 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 construction management
  • Sustainable infrastructure
  • Energy efficiency
  • Sustainable design
  • Sustainable decision making
  • Multi criteria decision making
  • Green roof
  • Green wall
  • Lifecycle assessment
  • Building simulation
  • Urban heat island mitigation
  • Waste management
  • Energy performance prediction
  • Facility management
  • Risk management
  • Integrated automated building systems
  • Structural 3D printing
  • Internet of things sensors for building maintenance
  • Construction safety

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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Article
Utilisation of Recycled Silt from Water Treatment and Palm Oil Fuel Ash as Geopolymer Artificial Lightweight Aggregate
Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6091; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116091 - 28 May 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 604
Abstract
The global consumption of aggregate in the construction field is increasing annually, especially in concrete production. With the development of the economy and increase of the population, the demand for concrete and, therefore, a huge amount of aggregate has increased significantly. This issue [...] Read more.
The global consumption of aggregate in the construction field is increasing annually, especially in concrete production. With the development of the economy and increase of the population, the demand for concrete and, therefore, a huge amount of aggregate has increased significantly. This issue is pressing and needs to be addressed. Lightweight aggregate (LWA) is one possible solution. This study investigated the potential use of artificial LWA manufactured from alkaline-activated palm oil fuel ash (POFA) with silt due to its properties and performances. Six mixes containing up to 60% silt by total weight combined with optimised activated POFA were analysed. The artificial LWA was synthesised through a pelletising and sintering process at 1150 °C. The increase in the activated POFA proportion in the mixture induced changes in the properties of artificial LWA, including the physical and mechanical properties, durability, and microstructure. The analytical results showed that all of the artificial aggregates were categorised as LWA, based on BS EN 13055. The artificial LWA with 40% activated POFA and 60% silt had the highest crushing strength and acceptable properties for construction applications. This study summarised the performances of the final products and highlighted the different uses of imported silt and POFA as building materials for minimising environmental impacts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Sustainable Built Environment: Trending Methods and Practices)
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Article
Towards Sustainable Development: Building’s Retrofitting with PCMs to Enhance the Indoor Thermal Comfort in Tropical Climate, Malaysia
Sustainability 2021, 13(7), 3614; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13073614 - 24 Mar 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 481
Abstract
Building sector is associated with high energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. Sustainable development emphasizes any actions to reduce climate change and its effect. In Malaysia, half of the energy utilized in buildings goes towards building cooling. Thermal [...] Read more.
Building sector is associated with high energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. Sustainable development emphasizes any actions to reduce climate change and its effect. In Malaysia, half of the energy utilized in buildings goes towards building cooling. Thermal comfort studies and adaptive thermal comfort models reflect the high comfort temperatures for Malaysians in naturally conditioned buildings, which make it possible to tackle the difference between buildings’ indoor temperature and the required comfort temperature by using proper passive measures. This study investigates the effectiveness of building’s retrofitting with phase change materials (PCMs) as a passive cooling technology to improve the indoor thermal environment for more comfortable conditions. PCM sheets were numerically investigated below the internal finishing of the walls. The investigation involved an optimization study for the PCMs transition temperatures and quantities. The results showed significant improvement in the indoor thermal environment, especially when using lower transition temperatures and higher quantities of PCMs. Therefore, the monthly thermal discomfort time has decreased completely, while the thermal comfort time has increased to as high as 98%. The PCM was effective year-round and the optimum performance for the investigated conditions was achieved when using 18mm layer of PCM27-26. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Sustainable Built Environment: Trending Methods and Practices)
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Article
Sustainable Supplier Selection in Construction Industry through Hybrid Fuzzy-Based Approaches
Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1413; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031413 - 29 Jan 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 799
Abstract
Due to increase in the public and stakeholders’ awareness regarding economic, environmental, and social issues, the construction industry tends to follow the sustainability policies and practices in supply chain management. Hence, one of the most crucial aspects for a construction company in this [...] Read more.
Due to increase in the public and stakeholders’ awareness regarding economic, environmental, and social issues, the construction industry tends to follow the sustainability policies and practices in supply chain management. Hence, one of the most crucial aspects for a construction company in this regard is sustainable supplier selection, and, to this end, an accurate and reliable model is required. In this paper a hybrid fuzzy best-worst method and fuzzy inference system model is developed for sustainable supplier selection. In the first phase of this study, after determining 19 criteria in three main aspects, the final weight of each aspect and criterion is obtained using fuzzy best-worst method approach. In the second phase, the most sustainable supplier is selected by running the weighted fuzzy inference system both in aspect and criterion level, providing more accurate results compared to the use of other available models. Finally, two different tests are employed to validate the results and evaluate the robustness of the proposed model. The novel developed model enables the decision-maker to simulate the decision-making process, reduce the calculations loads, consider a large number of criteria in decision making, and resolve the inherited uncertainties in experts’ responses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Sustainable Built Environment: Trending Methods and Practices)
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Article
The Hindrances to Green Roof Adoption in a Semi-Arid Climate Condition
Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9542; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229542 - 16 Nov 2020
Viewed by 554
Abstract
Green roofs (GRs) offer several environmental, social, and economic benefits while numerous barriers are limiting their adoption. This study covers two gaps in the literature: first, the lack of indicating separate hindrances to different types of GRs; second, the dearth of research related [...] Read more.
Green roofs (GRs) offer several environmental, social, and economic benefits while numerous barriers are limiting their adoption. This study covers two gaps in the literature: first, the lack of indicating separate hindrances to different types of GRs; second, the dearth of research related to the hindrances on GR adoption in any climate of Iran. This research aims to identify and analyze the importance of hindrances to GR adoption by considering the two major types of GRs using the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) and Fuzzy Analytic Network Process (FANP), respectively. The results indicated that eight out of twenty-five identified hindrances to GR adoption were rejected using FDM. Moreover, it was found that although financial hindrances are significant for both types of GRs, public awareness is the most important hindrance to extensive GR adoption. As the first research of its kind in a semi-arid climate of Iran, the findings of this research provide an insight for the researchers and policymakers regarding the hindrances to GR adoption for further research and action. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Sustainable Built Environment: Trending Methods and Practices)
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Review

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Review
How is COVID-19 Experience Transforming Sustainability Requirements of Residential Buildings? A Review
Sustainability 2020, 12(20), 8732; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208732 - 21 Oct 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2042
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is bringing about changes, and alongside these, we can alter the way we design our living spaces. The need for a healthy and comfortable living space is essential to mental and physical well-being. The present study covers the most up-to-date [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic is bringing about changes, and alongside these, we can alter the way we design our living spaces. The need for a healthy and comfortable living space is essential to mental and physical well-being. The present study covers the most up-to-date documents, including peer-reviewed papers, blog posts, news, journal articles, and expert opinions, to critically review lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluates the expected changes in sustainability requirements of residential buildings. Health and safety, environment, and comfort are the three main aspects of residential buildings that have been tested during quarantines and are also expected to experience major transformations toward sustainability. Residential houses should provide certain health and safety protective measures to their occupants, such as the application of new touchless technologies, having proper sanitation to diminish the probability of getting infected, and developing greener and more intimate spaces that can help recover and improve mental states. Our findings address the need to reconsider sustainability requirements for residential buildings, which will provide adequate health and safety and comfort with no significant harm to the environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Sustainable Built Environment: Trending Methods and Practices)
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