Decarbonising the Building Industry

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

The "Decarbonising the Building Industry" Topic aims to address the urgent need for sustainable practices in the construction and operation of buildings, which are significant contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions. Decarbonising the built environment emerges as a pivotal step in mitigating climate change impacts as the world edges closer to critical environmental thresholds. This Topic collection seeks to encapsulate cutting-edge research, innovative technologies, and practical strategies propelling the construction and urban development sectors towards a greener, more sustainable trajectory. This multidisciplinary exploration covers various aspects, including advancements in building materials, energy efficiency, renewable energy integration, and policy frameworks. Contributions from academia, industry professionals, and policymakers will provide comprehensive perspectives on transforming the building industry to achieve a low-carbon future. Sub Topics:

Low-Carbon Materials:

• Development of sustainable building materials;
• Carbon footprint reduction in concrete and steel production;

Innovative use of recycled materials in construction. Energy-Efficient Building Practices:

• Advanced building insulation technologies;
• High-performance windows and glazing systems;
• Energy-efficient HVAC systems.

Construction Processes and Technologies:

• Prefabricated and modular construction methods;
• Digital twin technology in construction management;
• Robotics and automation in construction.

Operational Emission Reduction:

• Smart building management systems;
• Energy monitoring and management solutions;
• Retrofitting existing buildings for energy efficiency.

Policy and Regulatory Frameworks:

• Government policies supporting low-carbon building practices;
• Incentives for sustainable construction;
• International standards and certifications for green buildings.

Socio-Economic Impact:

• Cost-benefit analysis of sustainable building practices;
• Job creation in the green construction sector;
• Social equity in the transition to sustainable buildings.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA):

• Comprehensive LCA of building materials and processes;
• Environmental impact assessment tools and methodologies;
• Case studies on the life cycle performance of sustainable buildings.

By bringing together the insights of academics, industry professionals, and policymakers, this Topic aims to foster a collaborative approach to tackling one of the most pressing challenges of our era. As we collectively navigate towards a net-zero future, the articles presented here offer a blueprint for innovation, illustrating the potential pathways and collaborative efforts required to transform the built environment into a pillar of sustainability and resilience.

Dr. Behzad Rismanchi
Prof. Dr. Tuan Ngo
Dr. Alireza Kashani
Dr. Aliakbar Gholampour
Dr. M. Reza Hosseini
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Energies energies	3.0	6.2	2008	16.8 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Sustainability sustainability	3.3	6.8	2009	19.7 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Buildings buildings	3.1	3.4	2011	15.3 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Architecture architecture	-	-	2021	36.3 Days	CHF 1000	Submit

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All Energies Sustainability Buildings Architecture

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33 pages, 26551 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Carbon Footprint Evaluation and Reduction Strategies for a Residential Building in Romania: A Case Study

by Alexandru Mihai Bulmez, George Dragomir, Sorin Ionuț Bolocan, Alin Ionuț Brezeanu, Mariana Fratu, Nicolae Fani Iordan, Norbert Gocz and Răzvan Calotă

Buildings 2025, 15(6), 938; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15060938 - 16 Mar 2025

Viewed by 400

Abstract

Single-family residential buildings represent the highest share of building sector in Romania. Their operation emits the most CO₂ into Earth’s atmosphere, as most of them are not energy efficient. A life cycle assessment is performed for a case study building, built in [...] Read more.

Single-family residential buildings represent the highest share of building sector in Romania. Their operation emits the most CO₂ into Earth’s atmosphere, as most of them are not energy efficient. A life cycle assessment is performed for a case study building, built in 2019 in Romania, establishing its carbon footprint. For this building CO₂ emissions are 177.55 tCO₂ for the construction stage, 76.19 tCO₂ for the operation stage, 3.55 tCO₂ for the demolition stage, and a total of 129.76 tCO₂ after reducing with the carbon sequestration from vegetation 127.53 tCO₂. The main purpose of this study is to analyse the carbon footprint for a typical single-family Romanian household, with an emphasis on the operational stage. The study compares the results and extrapolates them to all single-family residential buildings in Romania regarding CO₂ emissions, with an emphasis on the operational stage. The results illustrate a considerable reduction in CO₂ emissions from old, high energy consumption buildings to new, low energy consumption buildings. The highest operational stage emissions for old buildings in Romania are 962.94 tCO₂ for firewood heating and 573.69 tCO₂ for gas boiler heating, as those buildings are not insulated and don’t use a heat pump. Additionally, considering the use of photovoltaic panels for the entire lifespan, the CO₂ emissions for the operational stage decrease for the case study building from 76.18 tCO₂ to 19.90 tCO₂. Moreover, using a heat pump detriments firewood or gas boilers, decreasing CO₂ emissions for the operational stage by up to 34% and 26%, respectively. Due to the higher cost of electrical energy compared to natural gas in Romania, gas boilers are more cost-effective than heat pumps. Because of this, and the higher implementation costs, the tendency is towards natural gas. This will in turn result in an increase of CO₂ emission for the entire life cycle of the building by approximate 32% for new buildings and 86% for old, high-energy-consumption buildings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Decarbonising the Building Industry)

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