Building Energy: Economics and Environment

Decreasing the negative impact of buildings on the environment is a major challenge. Thermal upgrading investments in the construction sector have a significant impact on improving the energy efficiency of buildings and reducing final energy consumption in this sector [1,2]. For instance, insulation of external walls can be considered an investment for both economic and environmental aspects [3,4]. This type of project is one of the most effective ways of saving energy used for heating and cooling in buildings.

The primary purpose of the Special Issue “Building Energy: Economics and Environment” is to present methods of assessing the economic and environmental effects of an investment based on thermo-modernization of a building. This special issue focuses on the following topics: indicators for thermo-modernization investments; economic and environmental benefits of thermo-modernization; practical methods to reduce the pressure of construction on the environment; environmental impact of the construction sector; energy efficiency improvements in buildings; and use of LCA to assess the environmental impact of buildings.

The environmental benefits of insulating the exterior walls of buildings are not only a cleaner environment, but also a reduction in the consumption of natural resources used to generate thermal energy. The article [5] introduces methods of determining the optimal thickness of thermal insulation for economic and environmental reasons, taking into account the degree days (DD) of the heating season. LCA was used for the environmental analysis. It was found that for each tested variant, the optimum thickness of thermal insulation for environmental reasons is much greater than for economic reasons.

Solar energy is one of the most important renewable energy sources. The goal of the article by Bukowski et al. [6] was to evaluate the macroeconomic investment effectiveness of photovoltaic installations in order to meet the electricity needs in single-family houses. Research results confirm that the introduced in Poland instruments supporting investments in photovoltaic installations generating energy for the needs of a single-family house are economically viable.

A very serious problem in Poland is excessive air pollution. The major cause of bad air quality is low emissions. In the article, Dzikuć et al. [7] presents a scenario analysis of measures to reduce low emissions by economic supporting of the thermal modernization of single-family houses in the Lubuskie Province. The performance of thermal modernization works recommended in the article allows for the reduction of excessive concentrations of harmful substances in the air, such as PM2.5 and PM10 suspended dust and B(a)P.

Thermal renovation of buildings causes specific energy effects and, consequently, economic and environmental effects. The article by Michalak et al. [8] presents a comprehensive thermo-modernization of a school building, carried out in accordance with Polish regulations. Thermal renovation, together with the replacement of the old boiler with a new one for wood pellets, resulted in a significant decrease on SO₂ and dust emissions.

Unfortunately, Poland is a leader in the aspect of poor air quality. The article by Blazy et al. [9] reports the findings of research on the possible ecological benefits of thermo-modernization of single-family houses for the region of southern Poland. It was concluded that a high share of external funds—stimulating residents to effective thermal renovation, and thus reducing the energy consumption of buildings—has a major impact on improving air quality.

Due to the necessity of improving the energy and environmental performance of buildings, research is carried out on recycled materials and natural materials. A study by Palladino et al. [10] aimed to compare the energy characteristics of innovative wall solutions (with recycled polyethylene-terephthalate panels or durum-wheat straw bales) with the base solution.

The tropical climate with high annual average temperatures affects indoor thermal comfort, especially with natural ventilation. A review article by Rahman et al. [11] relates to public hospital wards with natural ventilation in Malaysia. The overview covers important aspects including climate, energy management, and thermal comfort.

According to guest editors, the purpose of further research should be to develop methods and indicators for the ecological assessment of all types of thermo-modernization investments, preferably with the use of LCA. An important direction of research concerns the impact of reducing the thermal comfort of occupants, in order to reduce the energy demand for heating the building and, consequently, the environmental burden.

We would like to thank the authors of submitted and published articles for the Special Issue: “Building Energy: Economics and Environment”. We also sincerely thank all the reviewers for taking their valuable time to assess the submitted works.