Sustainability, Challenges and Opportunities to Optimize Building Performance

Dear Colleagues,

Applying sustainable principles and state-of-the-art environmental technologies is essential to optimising building performance while minimising problematic environmental impact. This Topic aims to acknowledge original experimental work undertaken to apply sustainable principles and innovative environmental technologies to improve building performance. It intends to showcase innovative possibilities for both existing and new projects. In alignment with this theme is the desire to explore affordable strategies.  

The energy used in the building sector accounts for 40% of all our energy use. While several environment sustainability rating systems for new buildings have been developed, only a tiny proportion of predicted energy savings have been realised in practice. This is due to a large number of factors, ranging from inefficient and wasteful procurement to poor user interface with installed indoor environmental technologies. The potential to make buildings net zero carbon emitters, energy efficient, and sustainable is already with us. However, the question remains: what innovations should we adopt, how should they be applied, and what outcomes can they deliver?

In this Topic, we seek to identify solutions for delivering high-performing, environmentally friendly, affordable buildings. The objective here is to showcase state-of-the-art environmental sustainability principles, renewable energy systems, innovative systems to enhance indoor environmental quality, construction retrofits, new sensor technologies, optimised control strategies, and more.

We welcome and look forward to your contributions.

Dr. Igor Martek
Dr. Mehdi Amirkhani
Topic Editors