Energy Systems in Buildings and Occupant Comfort

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

The use of energy systems in buildings to promote occupant comfort with low energy consumption levels is an important multidisciplinary topic for the future development of more sustainable occupied spaces. The objective of this new multidisciplinary topic is to collect innovative research studies on energy systems for buildings and examine their impact on occupants’ comfort. Innovative experimental studies, numerical simulations, and state-of-the-art and other original research findings are invited. For this multidisciplinary topic, we are particularly interested in inviting papers focusing on, but not limited to, the following: (i) energy systems in buildings; (ii) sustainable and renewable energy applications; (iii) HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning) systems in occupied spaces; (iv) natural and mechanical ventilation systems; (v) occupant thermal comfort, local thermal discomfort and indoor air quality; (vi) passive and active strategies in buildings; (vii) energy efficiency in buildings; (viii) design and construction strategies for buildings. Studies of advances in numerical simulation and experimental techniques are also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Eusébio Z. E. Conceição
Prof. Dr. Hazim B. Awbi
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Buildings buildings	3.4	5.6	2011	14.7 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
CivilEng civileng	2.8	4.4	2020	23.5 Days	CHF 1400	Submit
Energies energies	3.9	8.3	2008	16.7 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Sustainability sustainability	4.1	8.9	2009	16.9 Days	CHF 2400	Submit

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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All Buildings CivilEng Energies Sustainability

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Open AccessReview

Standardized Indices for the Assessment of Indoor Thermal Environments: Background, Application and Perspectives

by Francesca Romana d’Ambrosio Alfano, Boris Igor Palella and Giuseppe Riccio

Energies 2026, 19(16), 3894; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19163894 - 19 Aug 2026

Viewed by 85

Abstract

In the broader context of ecological transition, it is essential to identify solutions that ensure indoor environmental quality encompassing thermal, visual, acoustic, and indoor air quality conditions to safeguard occupant health and well-being. These solutions should also meet the demand for energy-efficient buildings. [...] Read more.

In the broader context of ecological transition, it is essential to identify solutions that ensure indoor environmental quality encompassing thermal, visual, acoustic, and indoor air quality conditions to safeguard occupant health and well-being. These solutions should also meet the demand for energy-efficient buildings. With specific regard to thermal environments, a distinction must be made between residential and non-residential settings, where comfort conditions can be achieved, and industrial environments, where thermal stress—and consequently health risks—may arise. To evaluate the quality of a thermal environment, key metrics are necessary. These include the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and the Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD) for global thermal comfort, Predicted Heat Strain (PHS) and the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) for hot environments, and Required Insulation (IREQ) for cold environments, all governed by ISO-EN standards. The use of indices in residential and non-residential buildings outlines two critical challenges. The first relates to the fact that, in certain instances involving non-air-conditioned buildings, conditions can be borderline between comfort and thermal stress, which must be accurately identified. Secondly, the application of indices frequently neglects necessary variables, disregarding the fundamental limitations and operational boundaries inherent to both objective and personal input quantities. Moreover, the use of measurement devices inconsistent with the minimum requirements laid down by the standards in the field results in unwanted biases with unforeseeable consequences. This review explores the formulation, use, and limitations of the four indices mentioned, providing a perspective on their future development. It establishes the criteria for reliable long-term assessments of thermal and energy environments, encompassing the analysis of both heat and cold strain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Energy Systems in Buildings and Occupant Comfort)

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13 pages, 956 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Design and Experimental Analysis of Multi-Functional Building-Integrated PV System for Adaptive Energy Generation and Thermal Management

by Tahsin Boyekin, Tayfur Gökçek, Ali Rıfat Boynueğri and İsmail Kıyak

Energies 2026, 19(14), 3321; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19143321 - 14 Jul 2026

Viewed by 290

Abstract

This paper introduces a hybrid building-integrated photovoltaic façade that brings together a 240 Wp mono PERC photovoltaic (PV) module and an electrically switchable Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal glazing unit within a single layered component. The main novelty of the proposed system is that [...] Read more.

This paper introduces a hybrid building-integrated photovoltaic façade that brings together a 240 Wp mono PERC photovoltaic (PV) module and an electrically switchable Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal glazing unit within a single layered component. The main novelty of the proposed system is that the PV module and the smart glass layer are not treated as independent façade elements; instead, they are integrated to create a direct optical and functional interaction within the same building envelope component. The design enables controlled interaction between solar radiation, the PV cells, and the interior environment. By adjusting the optical state of the glazing, the façade can influence the amount of light entering the building while also affecting the irradiance received by the PV cells. In this way, the proposed façade provides two adaptive operating modes: a transparent mode that supports daylight transmission and indoor visual comfort, and a non-transparent mode that enhances effective irradiance on the PV cells through diffuse reflection. Experimental investigations carried out under real outdoor conditions, together with finite element thermal modeling, are used to evaluate electrical output and temperature behavior. Unlike conventional BIPV or smart glass applications, the proposed structure simultaneously addresses electricity generation, daylight regulation, and thermal management in a single multifunctional façade system. The results indicate that the integrated configuration yields nearly 4% higher energy production compared to a reference PV module, and that electrical output increases by about 5% when the glazing is in its non-transparent state. These findings highlight the potential of the proposed system to enhance both on-site electricity generation and indoor environmental performance in sustainable building applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Energy Systems in Buildings and Occupant Comfort)

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32 pages, 7129 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Model-Aware Predictive Control for Occupant-Centric Environment Optimization in Room-Level Scenarios

by Siyuan Liu, Qiliang Yang, Ronghao Wang, Haining Jia, Xuewei Zhang, Zhongkai Deng, Yong Wu and Qizhen Zhou

Sustainability 2026, 18(13), 6411; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18136411 - 23 Jun 2026

Viewed by 462

Abstract

Building energy consumption accounts for 30% of global energy use, making building management pivotal to achieving global sustainability. Occupants have profound impacts on the building environment. Incorporating occupant-related factors into the environmental control process is essential for optimizing the efficiency of building management [...] Read more.

Building energy consumption accounts for 30% of global energy use, making building management pivotal to achieving global sustainability. Occupants have profound impacts on the building environment. Incorporating occupant-related factors into the environmental control process is essential for optimizing the efficiency of building management systems (BMSs), which thus gives rise to the concept of occupant-centric control (OCC). Conventional methods rely on simplified models and fixed schedules that fail to satisfy environmental control and occupant requirements, while constructing credible models places strict requirements on the dataset. In this paper, we propose a Model-Aware Predictive Control (MAPC) framework that can construct credible models with limited data and provide room-level control strategies to optimize the trade-off between occupant comfort and energy consumption. The technological innovations of this research are twofold. On the one hand, we design a model construction and fine-tuning method that combines data-driven subspace projection approach with physical priors that can construct credible thermal dynamic models with limited data. On the other hand, to balance the potential conflicts between enhancing occupant comfort and saving energy, we present a hierarchical decision-making mechanism that enables adaptive multi-objective room-level control considering dynamic occupant comfort requirements and energy usage. The experimental results obtained on an EnergyPlus-based simulation dataset and a publicly available dataset demonstrate that MAPC can provide room-level control strategies based on dynamic occupant requirements and user preferences and achieve superior trade-offs between occupant comfort and energy consumption. The ablation experiments also demonstrated the superiority of MAPC in constructing reliable models on limited datasets. MAPC provides pivotal support for the advancement of the intelligent buildings and sustainable indoor environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Energy Systems in Buildings and Occupant Comfort)

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20 pages, 2073 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Maintenance as an Opportunity to Improve Residential Buildings’ Energy Efficiency: Evaluation of Life-Cycle Costs

by Wilamy Valadares de Castro, Cláudia Ferreira, Joana Barrelas, Pedro Lima Gaspar, Maria Paula Mendes and Ana Silva

Buildings 2026, 16(8), 1551; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16081551 - 15 Apr 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 796

Abstract

Maintenance is crucial for the durability of the existing building stock and should be perceived as an opportunity to improve the built environment. The implementation of thermal retrofitting measures to the building’s envelope enhances global energy performance, which is economically and environmentally beneficial. [...] Read more.

Maintenance is crucial for the durability of the existing building stock and should be perceived as an opportunity to improve the built environment. The implementation of thermal retrofitting measures to the building’s envelope enhances global energy performance, which is economically and environmentally beneficial. Building-related energy consumption during the operation phase is key to tackling carbon neutrality and climate change. Introducing thermal retrofitting within the context of maintenance planning can be cost-optimizing, as it reveals the technical–economic synergy between building pathology and energy efficiency. Maintenance activities and energy demand throughout the building’s service life influence life-cycle costs (LCCs). Decision-making based on LCC awareness is an advantage for owners. This study discusses the impact of implementing an optimal retrofitting solution (ORS), according to different maintenance strategies, on the LCC of an existing single-family home. The ORS comprises the following measures: adding an external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS) to external walls, extruded polystyrene (XPS) panels to the roof, and replacing the existing windows with others with improved thermal performance. The three maintenance strategies involve different complexity levels, concerning the type, number and timing of activities. Moving beyond isolated assessments, this study develops an integrated framework that bridges based on two existing background methodologies, involving optimal thermal retrofitting and condition-based maintenance planning, which, combined with new research, enable the assessment of maintenance, energy and global LCC for a time horizon of 100 years. The evaluation of energy-related LCC is based on simulations. The results indicate that these costs represent the majority of the global LCC. The ORS has a considerable positive impact on energy and global LCC. Adopting a maintenance strategy characterized by fewer planned activities and an earlier schedule of replacement interventions, which determines the implementation of the retrofitting measures, is better in terms of LCC savings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Energy Systems in Buildings and Occupant Comfort)

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14 pages, 4696 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Regulatory Gap Versus Performance Reality: Thermal Assessment of a Social Housing Module in the Peruvian Andes

by Emilio Palomino-Olivera, Miriam Ancco-Peralta, Víctor Salas Velásquez, Enrique Mejia-Solis and Edwin Gudiel Rodriguez

Buildings 2025, 15(24), 4401; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15244401 - 5 Dec 2025

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1912

Abstract

In high-altitude regions of the Global South, social housing programs are essential for mitigating vulnerability to low temperatures, but their standardized designs often fail to meet thermal performance codes. This study evaluates a “Sumaq Wasi” adobe housing module in the Peruvian Andes (Kunturkanki, [...] Read more.

In high-altitude regions of the Global South, social housing programs are essential for mitigating vulnerability to low temperatures, but their standardized designs often fail to meet thermal performance codes. This study evaluates a “Sumaq Wasi” adobe housing module in the Peruvian Andes (Kunturkanki, 4237 m a.s.l.) during the 2023 frost season. We comparatively applied the 2014 and 2022 draft versions of the Peruvian standard EM.110 to assess the building envelope’s thermal transmittance and condensation risk, benchmarking monitored indoor temperatures against adaptive comfort models. The results revealed widespread non-compliance with thermal transmittance limits, especially for the roof and floor, although condensation risk was low. While indoor temperatures failed to meet conventional standards, they aligned with regionally adapted comfort ranges. We conclude that the standardized module design is insufficient for local climatic demands and argue that social housing policies must evolve, balancing regulatory stringency with context-aware bioclimatic design to be effective. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Energy Systems in Buildings and Occupant Comfort)

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28 pages, 4842 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Cooling Effects of Roof Greenings at Residential Buildings—Consideration of a Hydraulic Connection to the Interior

by Andreas Ratka, Wolfgang Ernst and Matthias Wörlein

CivilEng 2025, 6(4), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/civileng6040060 - 10 Nov 2025

Viewed by 1973

Abstract

Within the scope of this article is the presentation of a modelling and measurement approach for the effects of roof greenings and the application of the approach to evaluate the influence of roof greenings upon the thermal conditions inside a typical residential building. [...] Read more.

Within the scope of this article is the presentation of a modelling and measurement approach for the effects of roof greenings and the application of the approach to evaluate the influence of roof greenings upon the thermal conditions inside a typical residential building. It is shown that overheating in summer can be reduced, and thermal comfort for inhabitants can be increased. The cooling is caused by the transpiration of plants and by the evaporation of water from the substrate. Other relevant physical effects are the shading of plants and the increase in the heat capacity of the building. In state-of-the-art buildings, a layer with a high insulating effect is incorporated into the envelope. This leads to the effect that a huge fraction of the cooling power is taken from the outside of the building and only a smaller part is taken from the inside. In order to mitigate this decoupling, a hydraulic connection between the greening and the interior of the building is introduced. To evaluate the effect of the inside cooling, the difference in the number of yearly hours with overheating in residential buildings is estimated. In addition, the reduction in energy demand for the climatisation of a typical residential building is calculated. The used methods are as follows: (1) Performance of laboratory and free field measurements. (2) Simulation of a typical residential building, using a validated approach. In summary, it can be said that green roofs, in particular with hydraulic connections, can significantly increase the interior thermal comfort and potentially reduce the energy required for air conditioning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Energy Systems in Buildings and Occupant Comfort)

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