Search Results (1,282)

Ports combine clusters of operational buildings, shared energy infrastructure, and structurally critical assets requiring coordinated management to ensure safety and efficiency. Nevertheless, existing Digital Twin (DT) frameworks for building energy management rarely integrate Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) with energy performance assessment, while port-specific implementations remain scarce. This paper presents a pre-operational energy-aware DT architecture for port building clusters, structured in a unified five-layer framework integrating three capabilities: (i) EGMS/InSAR-based SHM screening with planned in situ sensing and computer-vision inspection workflows; (ii) smart metering and measurement and verification (M&V) protocols aligned with ISO 50001/50015 and IPMVP standards; and (iii) weighted multi-criteria prioritization considering structural condition, energy saving potential, service continuity, and cost. The framework is applied to the Port of Formia (Italy), a brownfield district comprising nine buildings (3371 m²), 16 high-mast lighting towers, shore power infrastructure, and 90 kWp of planned photovoltaics. In the absence of operational metering, energy and carbon values are reported as bounded ex-ante scenario estimates, not as verified performance outcomes. The analysis estimates photovoltaic generation of 116–137 MWh/year and lighting retrofit savings of 31.5–36.8 MWh/year; the related carbon values are treated as gross grid-displacement upper bounds pending measured self-consumption and export data. A four-phase validation roadmap with quantitative acceptance criteria supports the transition from feasibility assessment to verified performance. Full article

The sustainable transformation of idle built environments represents a critical pathway for advancing low-carbon development and achieving carbon neutrality targets. This study examines how idle rural building stocks may contribute to sustainable built environment systems through rural building repurposing and regeneration strategies. It introduces the concept of Green Rural Centers (GRCs), multifunctional facilities formed through the adaptive reuse of idle buildings that integrate low-carbon design, community services, and local economic functions. Within the proposed framework, GRCs are conceptually characterized as facilities that may: (1) achieve 50–70% reductions in operational energy demand through passive and renewable measures, (2) incorporate two or more community-oriented functions (e.g., education, governance, cultural services), and (3) demonstrate embodied carbon savings of ≥40% compared to demolition-and-rebuild scenarios. Grounded in fieldwork from Fujian Province, China, and aligned with national policies, the study evaluates spatial transformation, carbon mitigation, and institutional integration. Using a mixed-methods approach that combines scenario-based carbon-reduction estimation and appraisal, spatial analysis, comparative case studies, and policy evaluation, the findings indicate that retrofitting 30% of approximately 68,000 idle rural schools could achieve approximately 734,400 metric tons of cumulative CO₂ reduction by 2060 under the baseline scenario. Under conservative and ambitious implementation conditions, the estimated cumulative reductions are approximately 408,000 and 1,224,000 metric tons of CO₂, respectively. Sensitivity analysis shows that moderate improvements in retrofit quality or implementation rates significantly amplify emissions reduction outcomes. Beyond environmental performance, the proposed framework may also support community resilience, decentralized service provision, and socio-economic revitalization. This research reframes idle building stock as a strategic asset within sustainable built environment systems, policy-relevant exploratory framework potentially adaptable to comparable rural contexts. This study contributes to the sustainable built environment discourse by demonstrating how underutilized rural building stocks can function as broader low-carbon rural regeneration systems. Full article

The construction sector contributes substantially to global greenhouse gas emissions, making material substitutions a key strategy for advancing sustainability transitions. Mass timber has emerged as a low-carbon alternative to mineral-based construction materials, offering biogenic carbon storage and compatibility with prefabricated and industrialized building systems. This study aims to systematically synthesize the economic, cost, and market evidence on mass timber construction by reviewing 143 peer-reviewed publications, with the objective of clarifying what is empirically known and where uncertainties remain. The reviewed literature reveals three core findings. First, economic outcomes are mixed: while several studies report regional value creation, supply-chain upgrading, and alignment with circular-economy principles, others highlight persistent constraints such as limited manufacturing capacity and uneven policy support. Second, construction cost findings vary substantially, ranging from cost parity or modest savings relative to conventional systems to premiums of approximately 10–15%, shaped by regional pricing, labor availability, transportation distance, regulatory conditions, and supply-chain maturity. Third, market-oriented studies consistently identify slow diffusion, limited practitioner experience, and risk-averse investment environments as key barriers to adoption. Overall, the review shows that economic performance is not yet consistently established and underscores the need for more standardized, context-sensitive, and methodologically consistent evaluation frameworks to support informed decision-making and the sustainable scaling of mass timber construction. Full article

This study examines the sustainability of underground water heritage through the case of Gaziantep’s kastels and livas in Türkiye, focusing on public perceptions, heritage awareness, perceived value, and participation-related support mechanisms. Although kastels and livas have previously been addressed in architectural, historical, and infrastructural terms, user-centered evidence on their social recognition and conservation-related evaluation remains limited. The study adopts a cross-sectional, survey-based design grounded in sustainable heritage management. The questionnaire was developed for this underground water heritage system and structured around four dimensions: heritage awareness, perceived value, conservation support/participation intention, and governance-, promotion-, and future-oriented perceptions. The instrument was refined through expert review and pilot testing, and the final dataset consisted of 406 valid questionnaires collected through both online and face-to-face administration. Analyses included descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and group comparisons. The findings indicate that participants attributed particularly high value to kastels and livas and expressed strong support for their conservation, while current promotion, information tools, and institutional collaboration were evaluated less favorably. Perceived value was strongly associated with conservation support/participation intention. The study offers an empirical basis for socially grounded strategies for the protection, interpretation, and sustainable management of Gaziantep’s kastels and livas. Full article

Building information modeling (BIM)-based collaborative design can support sustainable construction, but current workflows often transmit complete models even when minor changes have been made and rely on centrally controlled records. This study proposes an incremental collaborative design framework that integrates a self-contained extension of the Tracing Semantic Differential Transaction (TSDT) method, hierarchical conflict detection, a permissioned blockchain ledger, and private IPFS storage. The framework formalizes a five-stage workflow and specifies the acceptance checks, incremental packet structure, conflict rules, and governance assumptions implemented in the prototype. In seven change scenarios, the improved TSDT packets reduced transmitted data volumes by 64.47% to 99.85% relative to the corresponding modified full models, with the largest savings observed for minor changes. The prototype also achieved low average on-chain latency and successful model reconstruction in a controlled single-server environment. These findings demonstrate the framework’s technical feasibility and its ability to support record-level traceability and integrity verification. Full article

Indoor air quality (IAQ) plays a critical role in the health and cognitive performance of students, making its assessment essential for sustainable building design in educational environments. This study evaluates whether the ventilation flow rates prescribed by the Spanish Regulation for Thermal Installations in Buildings (RTIB), together with the occupancy densities defined by the Technical Building Code (TBC), are sufficient to maintain CO₂ concentrations within regulatory limits in classrooms and library reading rooms. A validated three-dimensional CFD model was developed to simulate airflow patterns and CO₂ distribution under typical operating conditions. The model was experimentally validated using measurements from a dedicated test room in the KUBIK experimental building of Tecnalia, demonstrating high predictive accuracy with average relative errors between 14% and 20%. Results indicate that, under current RTIB and TBC design criteria, (modelled for a 36 m² classroom with 24 occupants and a fresh air supply of 1080 m³/h), CO₂ levels frequently exceed the 910 ppm regulatory thresholds established by the RTIB’s direct method, highlighting potential shortcomings in existing standards for educational spaces. Additionally, two mechanical ventilation configurations were analyzed, revealing that floor-supply ventilation promotes more homogeneous pollutant dispersion and lower concentration peaks compared with ceiling-mounted systems. These findings underline the need to reconsider ventilation design strategies in educational buildings and demonstrate the value of CFD modelling as a tool to support evidence-based decisions toward healthier and more sustainable indoor environments. Full article

This study numerically investigates the thermo-energetic behaviour of partitioned cavity walls integrating hypothetical phase change material (PCM) arrangements with single and staggered transition temperatures under cyclic thermal excitation representative of building-envelope operating conditions. The investigated configurations included single-PCM cases with transition temperatures of $20 °\mathrm{C}$, $22 °\mathrm{C}$, and $24 °\mathrm{C}$, as well as two staggered multi-PCM arrangements, namely $(20,22,24 °\mathrm{C})$ and $(24,22,20 °\mathrm{C})$. A two-dimensional transient numerical model based on the enthalpy–porosity approach was developed and validated against previously published numerical and experimental studies available in the literature. Several thermo-energetic indicators were introduced, including temperature amplitude reduction, damping factor, heat-flux attenuation, thermal time lag, cumulative transmitted thermal energy, and liquid-fraction evolution. A normalized multi-objective thermo-energetic assessment was additionally performed to identify the most balanced PCM arrangement. The results demonstrated that the $20 °\mathrm{C}$ PCM provided the strongest indoor-side thermal attenuation, reducing the temperature amplitude and heat-flux amplitude at facet $x8$ by $66.34\%$ and $62.20\%$, respectively, while increasing the thermal time lag to approximately $7.41\mathrm{h}$. The liquid-fraction analysis further revealed that latent heat activation remained strongly localized and spatially selective within the partitioned cavity structure. The staggered multi-PCM arrangements generated broader and spatially redistributed latent heat activation patterns, promoting more progressive thermal regulation over time. In particular, the $(20,22,24 °\mathrm{C})$ arrangement produced the highest partial latent activation, with a maximum liquid fraction approaching $0.1596$, corresponding to the highest latent activation ratio observed in the present study (≈15.96%), whereas the reversed arrangement $(24,22,20 °\mathrm{C})$ provided enhanced indoor-side stabilization associated with delayed and spatially redistributed latent heat activation. The combined thermo-energetic assessment further revealed important trade-offs between peak thermal damping, delayed thermal response, and distributed latent heat activation. Overall, the obtained findings demonstrate that both PCM transition temperature and spatial ordering strongly influence the transient thermal behaviour of partitioned cavity walls and should therefore be carefully considered in the design of adaptive PCM-integrated building envelopes. Full article

An integrated building information model (BIM) was constructed based on embodied carbon emissions (CEs) and a cost assessment framework to evaluate the environmental and economic performance of prefabricated buildings (PBs) and traditional cast in situ buildings (TBs) during the materialization stage. BIMs and carbon emission factor (CEF) methods were combined to quantify material consumption, embodied CEs, and construction costs under identical building conditions. An eight-story residential shear wall structure was selected as a case study, and carbon was analyzed across different stages. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses were incorporated to evaluate the robustness of the accounting results under different transportation, electricity emission, and regional production scenarios. The results indicated that prefabricated construction exhibited lower embodied carbon emissions and improved economic performance compared with traditional cast in situ construction. The material production stage was identified as the dominant carbon source, while electricity-related emission factors had the strongest influence on the accounting results. The proposed framework provides a transferable methodological pathway for low-carbon building assessment and sustainable decision making in prefabricated residential construction. Full article

The construction industry contributes significantly to global CO₂ emissions, primarily due to the production of ordinary Portland cement (OPC). As a sustainable alternative, geopolymer concrete, utilizing industrial by-products, such as ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) and fly ash (FA), has attracted increasing attention. However, studies on the post-fire behavior of high-strength slag–fly ash-based geopolymer concrete (HSSFGC) remain limited. In this study, two HSSFGC mixtures with FA contents of 10% and 30% were prepared and exposed to elevated temperatures of 100 °C, 300 °C, 450 °C, and 600 °C. After natural cooling, mass loss, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), residual compressive strength, and microstructural evolution were investigated using XRD, FTIR, TGA, SEM, and EDS techniques. The results show that as temperature increases, mass loss and internal defects also increase, accompanied by deterioration of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ). At 100–300 °C, specimens with higher FA content exhibited improved residual compressive strength due to secondary geopolymerization of unreacted FA. However, above 300 °C, all specimens experienced significant strength degradation, with residual compressive strength at 600 °C reduced to 57% for FA-10 and 49% for FA-30 of their respective room-temperature values. This mix-specific difference, attributed to higher pore connectivity and more severe dehydroxylation in FA-30. These findings reveal the temperature-dependent degradation mechanisms of HSSFGC and provide a theoretical basis for post-fire assessment and sustainable engineering applications. Full article

Conventional full-space heating systems waste massive fossil-derived energy on unoccupied indoor areas and cause uncomfortable “warm head, cold feet” issues against sustainable building targets. To fill this gap and advance low-carbon indoor heating solutions for sustainable office development, this study proposes an innovative localized heating terminal combining radiant panels and downward laminar air supply. An experimental platform was established, with twelve testing cases covering varied supply air velocity, supply air temperature and radiant panel temperature to explore its thermal comfort and energy-saving sustainability performance. Experimental results demonstrate that, under the optimal operating condition (0.55 m/s airflow, 23.5 °C supply air, 36 °C radiant panel), the vertical head–foot temperature difference reduces to merely 1.2 °C, far below the 3–5 °C threshold of conventional heating equipment; the draught rate approaches zero to eliminate cold draft discomfort. Critically, 65–75% of total supplied heat concentrates within human-occupied zones, drastically cutting redundant heat loss and advancing building heating sustainability. The terminal features dual working modes: convection contributes 78.7–94.4% of total heat for rapid warm-up while radiant heat maintains stable long-term comfortable surroundings. Such flexible dual-mode design supports sustainable part-load operation matching intermittent office occupancy, making this terminal a feasible low-carbon option for modern sustainable office buildings prioritizing energy efficiency and a healthy indoor environment. Full article

The successful realization of a circular economy in the cement industry, coupled with a substantial reduction in carbon emissions, relies on the development of sustainable alternative binder systems. This study investigated the physicomechanical performance and sulfate resistance of composites produced by alkali activation of natural perlite and blast furnace slag. The aim of the research was to improve mechanical properties under low- and medium-alkalinity conditions (5–10 M NaOH). The samples were cured at an ambient temperature of 20 °C and then treated with heat at 60 °C. These samples were then mechanically processed and subjected to five soak–dry cycles in 5% and 10% Na₂SO₄ solutions. The results showed that heat treatment resulted in the formation of a dense C-A-S-H gel, increasing compressive strength approximately eightfold, from 11.64 MPa to 92 MPa. However, perlite’s porous and brittle structure limits its flexural strength to 0.27 MPa; this value is insufficient for structural applications. Under severe sulfate attack (10% Na₂SO₄), samples cured at ambient temperature showed a 12% mass increase in the first cycle due to solution infiltration into capillary voids. As a consequence of extensive ettringite and gypsum formation, the specimens experienced severe deterioration, resulting in a complete loss of mechanical integrity and a residual compressive strength of 0 MPa. In contrast, heat-treated samples showed limited ion diffusion due to a denser matrix and an improved aggregate interface transition zone, resulting in a 2.6% mass increase and a residual compressive strength of 5.17 MPa. Consequently, the obtained findings indicate that thermally treated alkali-activated slag–perlite composites exhibit high resistance against sodium sulfate attack and may have potential for use in specific industrial environments with high sulfate concentrations. However, the performance of these materials under more complex aggressive conditions, such as mining environments involving magnesium sulfate exposure and acidic drainage waters, should be further validated through future studies. Full article

The ethical dimensions of sustainability can be overlooked by academics and project professionals despite ethics being relevant to the achievement of United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A survey of United Kingdom (UK)’s construction industry leaders is used to identify ethical challenges and solutions, while highlighting the link between sustainability, ethics and individual behaviour. A Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) approach is employed to scope out a series of ethical scenarios via an analysis of people, work tasks, culture and training, and subsequently validated via an industry workshop. It is argued that while project tools and techniques fail to engage adequately with ethical issues (e.g., stakeholder management), a proactive examination of attitude, norm, control and intention by project managers at appropriate project times can assist with the identification of potential ethical issues: a TPB-based prompt sheet being presented to assist project managers with their ethics work. The paper makes an original contribution that highlights the relationship between sustainability, ethical working practices and UN SDGs. Despite the relevance of ethics to SDGs, no prior study has used TPB to model ethical scenarios in construction project management. Full article

This study presents a comparative analysis of six DFS implementations representing different maturity levels and investigates the systemic gap between technological capabilities and regulatory approaches. A structured narrative review with case-based analysis was conducted using the Scopus database (2015–2026) with six targeted queries. The case selection followed the PICo protocol. An original ten-criterion DFS maturity assessment rubric—grounded in the Technology Readiness Level (TRL), Integration Readiness Level (IRL), and Digital Twin Maturity Model frameworks—was applied to all six cases. Inter-rater validation yielded substantial agreement (κw = 0.797; unweighted κ = 0.674 [95% CI: 0.509, 0.839]). The results indicate a clear maturity gradient (Dimension X: 4–9 points; Dimension Y: 2–8 points). Benefits reported in the analysed primary studies include up to a 55 s reduction in evacuation time, a 72% improvement compared with static signage, and a 34-percentage-point increase in evacuation success rate under simulation-based conditions. Five normative recommendations are proposed to address the structural regulatory gap between current prescriptive frameworks and DFS deployment in Poland and the EU. This study argues that prescriptive rules should remain the baseline, whereas complex facilities may adopt performance-based DFS solutions, provided that equivalence to conventional protection levels is rigorously demonstrated. From a sustainability perspective, the study frames DFS as a dynamic safety layer that supports occupant protection, operational resilience, and lifecycle adaptability in complex buildings exposed to uncertain fire and crowd conditions. Full article

Buildings are the primary energy consumption layer of Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) and a key target for net-zero policy under the EPBD recast. This scoping review applies the PRISMA-ScR framework to map Digital Twin (DT) architectures for building-scale and community-scale energy management in REC configurations. A Scopus search yielded a final analytical corpus of 102 studies, coded through an eight-dimensional thematic matrix covering lifecycle phases, digitalization objectives, enabling technologies, DT capability dimensions, and data realism. DT is the dominant enabling technology (55.9%), followed by IoT (23.5%) and machine learning (22.5%). Research is concentrated in the Planning and Design phase (77.5%) and markedly underrepresented in Implementation and Commissioning (16.7%). Notably, only 10.8% of studies integrate real-time operational data, exposing a significant gap between simulation-based research and the deployment conditions required under current EPBD mandates. The evidence base supports building energy monitoring, demand forecasting, and flexible grid operation but remains limited for retrofit verification, standardized net-zero KPIs, and operational workflows in existing stock. Critical DT capability gaps persist in Data Services (7.8%) and User Experience (18.6%). Overall, DT architectures show genuine potential for grid-interactive, net-zero building management, yet the field presents unresolved structural challenges for large-scale real-world deployment. Full article

This study investigates the effects of polypropylene fibre content on the workability and compressive strength of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), as well as the flexural behaviour of RAC beams. The results indicate that recycled aggregates adversely affect the mechanical properties of concrete and reduce the crack resistance, stiffness retention, and crack-control capacity of concrete beams. Although polypropylene fibres reduce mixture workability, they improve the mechanical properties of recycled concrete and enhance the flexural behaviour of recycled concrete beams. The contribution of polypropylene fibres is mainly reflected in improved crack control and post-peak behaviour, whereas their effect on ultimate load-bearing capacity remains relatively limited. In addition, the improvement provided by the fibres does not increase proportionally with fibre dosage. A moderate fibre content can effectively balance load-bearing capacity, deformation capacity, and crack control, whereas excessive fibre addition may weaken the reinforcement effect because of poor fibre dispersion and reduced matrix uniformity. These findings provide useful guidance for evaluating the flexural performance and potential engineering applications of fibre-reinforced recycled aggregate concrete beams. Full article