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Energy and Buildings: Thermal Storage, Emissions, Transports, Control and Their Effects

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "G: Energy and Buildings".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 May 2025 | Viewed by 3351

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mark Bomberg

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699, USA
Interests: energy efficiency; using thermal mass and integrated control systems; thermal comfort; smart buildings; near zero energy buildings; effective thermal insulation systems; adaptable comfort; indoor environment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Paulo Santos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Coimbra, 3030 - 788 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: sustainability; thermal behaviour and energy efficiency of buildings; lightweight steel framed (LSF) construction; circular economy; construction safety management; sustainable materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Anna Romańska-Zapała

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Infotronics, Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, Cracow, Poland
Interests: building and industrial automatics with renewable energy sources; energy efficiency in building

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

The long-term renovation strategy supports the change of the national building stock into a highly efficient and decarbonized building stock by 2050 and at a cost-effective transformation of existing buildings into nearly zero-energy buildings. About 70% of the building stock of 2050 already exists today, which means that most of the energy reductions will have to be achieved by deep energy renovation of existing buildings. To increase the renovation rate, we need industrialization and modular renovation. The difference between the predicted and real energy performance can be significant. To overcome these problems, more information, results, and successful case studies targeted to nZEB renovation are needed. 

The objective of this Special Issue is a view to the next generation of building technology along with energy management. The papers in the following research fields are mostly welcomed:

(1) optimizing the passive measures before adding renewable energy sources;
(2) reduction of carbon emissions with climate change and their monitor and performance evaluation (MAPE);
(3) indoor environment and durability in building market value;
(4) hydronic systems of heating and cooling, and use of different types of heat pumps, especially water-sourced (geothermal type) heat pumps;
(5) integration of solar panels, heat pump and thermal mass (short-time storage) with long-term thermal storage;
(6) advanced zero energy (AZER) and emission (AZEM) buildings which use building automatics and control systems to optimize building field performance;
(7) finally, any type of energy co-simulation in buildings is welcomed.

Prof. Dr. Mark Bomberg
Dr. Paulo Santos
Dr. Anna Romańska-Zapała
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 5792 KiB  
Article
Advanced Fuel Based on Semi-Coke and Cedarwood: Kinetic Characteristics and Synergetic Effects
by Andrey Zhuikov, Lily Irtyugo, Alexander Samoilo, Yana Zhuikova, Irina Grishina, Tatyana Pyanykh and Stanislav Chicherin
Energies 2024, 17(19), 4963; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17194963 - 4 Oct 2024
Viewed by 599
Abstract
This paper presents the results of analytical studies of the combustion process of semi-coke, cedar sawdust, and their mixtures using the TGA method at three different heating rates with the determination of the main characteristics of heating: the presence of synergetic interaction between [...] Read more.
This paper presents the results of analytical studies of the combustion process of semi-coke, cedar sawdust, and their mixtures using the TGA method at three different heating rates with the determination of the main characteristics of heating: the presence of synergetic interaction between the components of the mixture affecting the maximum rate of combustion and kinetic parameters. Calculations of activation energy and pre-exponential multiplier of the Arrhenius equation by the Friedman and Ozawa–Flynn–Wall priori methods for initial combustibles and their mixtures have been carried out. Semi-coke was obtained by thermal treatment of brown coal at 700–900 °C to remove volatile substances, which makes it more environmentally friendly than the original coal. Semi-coke has a higher heat of combustion than biomass, and biomass has a higher reactivity than semi-coke. The combustion process of biomass occurs in a lower temperature range, and adding biomass to semi-coke shifts the combustion process to a lower temperature range than such for biomass. Adding at least 50% of biomass to semi-coke increases the combustion index by at least 1.1 times. Regardless of the heating rate of mixtures, synergetic interaction between the mixture’s components increases the maximum combustion rate of coke residue by 20%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Buildings: Thermal Storage, Emissions, Transports, Control and Their Effects)
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35 pages, 17147 KiB  
Article
Utilizing Wastewater Tunnels as Thermal Reservoirs for Heat Pumps in Smart Cities
by Fredrik Skaug Fadnes and Mohsen Assadi
Energies 2024, 17(19), 4832; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17194832 - 26 Sep 2024
Viewed by 576
Abstract
The performance of heat pump systems for heating and cooling heavily relies on the thermal conditions of their reservoirs. This study introduces a novel thermal reservoir, detailing a 2017 project where the Municipality of Stavanger installed a heat exchanger system on the wall [...] Read more.
The performance of heat pump systems for heating and cooling heavily relies on the thermal conditions of their reservoirs. This study introduces a novel thermal reservoir, detailing a 2017 project where the Municipality of Stavanger installed a heat exchanger system on the wall of a main wastewater tunnel beneath the city center. It provides a comprehensive account of the system’s design, installation, and performance, and presents an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model that predicts heat pump capacity, electricity consumption, and outlet temperature across seasonal variations in wastewater temperatures. By integrating domain knowledge with the ANN, this study demonstrates the model’s capability to detect anomalies in heat pump operations effectively. The network also confirms the consistent performance of the heat exchangers from 2020 to 2024, indicating minimal fouling impacts. This study establishes wastewater heat exchangers as a safe, effective, and virtually maintenance-free solution for heat extraction and rejection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Buildings: Thermal Storage, Emissions, Transports, Control and Their Effects)
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14 pages, 280 KiB  
Article
Energy Awareness, Energy Use, and Energy-Saving Opportunities in the Caribbean: The Island Curaçao as a Case Study
by Richenel R. Bulbaai and Johannes I. M. Halman
Energies 2024, 17(19), 4829; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17194829 - 26 Sep 2024
Viewed by 586
Abstract
Household energy consumption represents a significant share of global energy usage, highlighting the importance of understanding the factors that influence energy use and identifying potential strategies for conservation. The Caribbean region faces unique challenges in energy sustainability, driven by its heavy dependence on [...] Read more.
Household energy consumption represents a significant share of global energy usage, highlighting the importance of understanding the factors that influence energy use and identifying potential strategies for conservation. The Caribbean region faces unique challenges in energy sustainability, driven by its heavy dependence on fossil fuels and rising energy demand. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the current levels of energy awareness and energy consumption among households on the tropical Caribbean island of Curaçao and to determine practical energy-saving opportunities that can significantly reduce both energy consumption and costs. This paper is one of the first to evaluate energy awareness, energy use, and energy-saving opportunities among households in the Caribbean. The study included a literature review of key theories, concepts, and energy-saving strategies, along with a telephone survey of 382 households in Curaçao to examine household energy use, the factors shaping energy behavior, and the connections between energy consumption, behavior, and household income. The main findings of this study reveal that energy-efficient appliances are predominantly used in high-income households, with much lower adoption rates in middle- and low-income households. Cost savings, rather than environmental concerns, emerge as the primary motivation behind energy-saving behavior. Notably, the study highlights that most households in Curaçao are largely unaware of the full range of energy-efficient options available to them for reducing energy consumption. Based on the field study results, several recommendations are offered to enhance energy awareness, expand energy-saving opportunities, and ultimately reduce energy usage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Buildings: Thermal Storage, Emissions, Transports, Control and Their Effects)
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15 pages, 2983 KiB  
Article
Importance of Window Installation in Residential Building Envelopes Having Continuous External Insulation in Order to Realize Energy Efficiency
by Bipin Shah, Mahabir Bhandari and Mengjia Tang
Energies 2024, 17(17), 4273; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17174273 - 27 Aug 2024
Viewed by 712
Abstract
Residential buildings are one of the prime candidates in the United States for reducing energy consumption. Continuous exterior insulation (CEI) is being used increasingly often in residential buildings to improve energy efficiency. Windows constitute 15–40% of a building envelope and are the weakest [...] Read more.
Residential buildings are one of the prime candidates in the United States for reducing energy consumption. Continuous exterior insulation (CEI) is being used increasingly often in residential buildings to improve energy efficiency. Windows constitute 15–40% of a building envelope and are the weakest component in energy performance. The installation of windows in walls with CEI has not been well evaluated. We identified four cases of installing windows in walls with CEI of 25–76 mm (1–3 in.) thickness and analyzed the energy loss between the window and wall interface (flanking loss), structural issues, air leakage, and moisture penetration. Thermal analysis showed that the insulation value (RSI) of the 305 mm (12 in.) perimeter wall surrounding a window decreased by 7.6–34.5% in the four cases when compared with the RSI of the wall without the window. A window installation method is proposed to address the issues likely to occur with installation methods currently being used in the field. An out-of-the-box installation system was also designed to achieve a better thermal performance, cost effectiveness, and structural performance in high-performance residential buildings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Buildings: Thermal Storage, Emissions, Transports, Control and Their Effects)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Balancing Interests of Various Community Groups in the Local Governments' Policy on Energy Performance of Buildings
Author: Karnītis
Highlights: 1. Various local community groups are interested in supporting alternative solutions to the EU recommendations for building energy performance. 2. Every initiative in the field of building energy performance has both beneficiaries and losers, 3. LGs need resources to compensate the losses in the short and medium term; potential future gains may be insufficient to maintain socioeconomic stability.

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