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Advances on Utilization of Recycled and Sustainable Materials in Energy-Efficient Buildings and Infrastructural Systems

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2024) | Viewed by 9947

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ayman S. Mosallam

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Guest Editor

Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
Interests: FRP composites; structural health monitoring; green buildings, sustainable repair & rehabilitation of structural systems, renewable energy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Brahim ELBHIRI

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Guest Editor

SMARTiLab Laboratory EMSI, Rabat 10000, Morocco
Interests: energy monitoring; smart grid; embedded systems; WSN; IoT-IIoT; mobile network

Dr. Shaohua He

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Guest Editor

School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Interests: application of high performance and energy-efficient materials in bridge engineering; rehabilitation of deficient bridges with ultra-high performance concrete; Composite bridges based on high performance materials

Prof. Dr. Shadi M. Saadeh

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Guest Editor

National Center for Transportation, Green Technology, and Education (TransGET), California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
Interests: pavement performance and preservation; experimental characterization of highway materials; constitutive modeling of highway materials at the microstructural level; performance evaluation of highway infrastructure; experimental characterization of highway materials using X-ray computed tomography (CT) image analysis techniques; mechanical testing

Prof. Dr. Haohui Xin

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Interests: fiber-reinforced polymer composites; 3D-printed steel; multiscale analysis; failure and fatigue evaluation of steel and composite structures
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Energy-efficient, green construction materials and systems have immediate impacts on energy demand, economics, and the environment by allowing lower operating costs of buildings, improving living conditions, and lowering carbon emissions. This Special Issue will introduce state-of-the-art research related to the use of different materials in construction applications. Building and construction materials made of recycled plastics are promising in the optimization of both the thermal and the acoustic properties of buildings.

Construction and demolition (C&D) materials such as concrete, bricks, wood, and plastics are excellent candidates for developing sustainable building materials. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that in 2018 alone, about 600 million tons of C&D debris was generated in the United States, which is equivalent to more than 200% of the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated. Research on the uses of demolished concrete and masonry products for fine and coarse concrete aggregates has showed promising results in the optimal use of such waste in several reinforced concrete applications. Similarly, crumb rubber has also been investigated as a modifier in pavement mixes, with potential to reduce pollution, and resulting in optimized, safer roads and highways. In marine applications, recycled high- and low-density polyethylene materials have been investigated for manufacturing piers, fenders, and camels.

The sustainability and energy efficiency of different construction systems, made up of one or more recycled materials, can be assessed with life cycle assessment (LCA) studies and through calculating the embodied energy of each system to confirm its sustainability.

Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:

All aspects of the use of recycled materials in buildings and infrastructural systems;
Life cycle assessment studies on recycled and new built systems;
Manufacturing techniques for recycled building materials;
Utilization of construction and demolition (C&D) materials in the production of sustainable building and infrastructural systems;
Analytical and experimental evaluation of recycled building materials;
Advanced modelling approaches of recycled building systems;
Utilization of recycled tires, plastics, and wood in construction applications;
Use of recycled materials in water- and thermal-proofing materials;
Use of recycled materials in manufacturing light-weight construction materials;
Health and safety aspects in the use of recycled materials (e.g., PFAS effects).

Prof. Dr. Ayman S. Mosallam
Prof. Dr. Brahim ELBHIRI
Dr. Shaohua He
Prof. Dr. Shadi M. Saadeh
Prof. Dr. Haohui Xin
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.

Keywords

recycled materials
embodied energy
LCA
recycled plastics
recycled demolishment materials
energy-efficient materials
environmental protection

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 9083 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bellman–Genetic Hybrid Algorithm Optimization in Rural Area Microgrids

by Fatima Zahra Zahraoui, Mehdi Et-taoussi, Houssam Eddine Chakir, Hamid Ouadi and Brahim Elbhiri

Energies 2023, 16(19), 6897; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16196897 - 29 Sep 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1893

Abstract

Incorporating renewable Distributed Energy Resources (DER) into the main grid is crucial for achieving a sustainable transition from fossil fuels. However, this generation system is complicated by the fluctuating behavior of renewable resources and the variable load demand, making it less reliable without a suitable energy storage system (ESS). This study proposes an Optimal Power Flow Management (OPFM) strategy for a grid-connected hybrid Micro Grid (MG) comprising a wind turbine (WT), a photovoltaic (PV) field, a storage battery, and a Micro Gas turbine (MGT). This proposed strategy includes (i) minimizing the MG’s daily energy cost, (ii) decreasing CO₂ emissions by considering the variable load, weather forecast, and main grid fees to optimize the battery charging/discharging strategy, and (iii) optimizing the decision-making process for power purchase/sell from/to the main grid. The suggested OPFM approach is implemented using a Genetic Algorithm and compared with the Bellman Algorithm and a restricted management system via several simulations under the Matlab environment. Furthermore, the hybridization of the Bellman Algorithm and the Genetic Algorithm is proposed to enhance the OPFMC strategy’s efficiency by leveraging both algorithms’ strengths. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy in lowering energy costs and CO₂ emissions and enhancing reliability. Additionally, the comparison of the hybridized GA algorithm reveals a cost 16% higher than the Bellman Algorithm; however, the use of the hybridized GA algorithm leads to a reduction in GHG emissions by 31.4%. These findings underscore the trade-off between cost and environmental impact in the context of algorithmic optimization for microgrid energy management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Utilization of Recycled and Sustainable Materials in Energy-Efficient Buildings and Infrastructural Systems)

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16 pages, 2440 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Hybrid Imperialist Competitive Algorithm–Particle Swarm Optimization Metaheuristic Optimization Algorithm for Cost-Effective Energy Management in Multi-Source Residential Microgrids

by Ssadik Charadi, Houssam Eddine Chakir, Abdelbari Redouane, Abdennebi El Hasnaoui and Brahim El Bhiri

Energies 2023, 16(19), 6896; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16196896 - 29 Sep 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2178

Abstract

The integration of renewable sources and energy storage in residential microgrids offers energy efficiency and emission reduction potential. Effective energy management is vital for optimizing resources and lowering costs. In this paper, we propose a novel approach, combining the imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA) with particle swarm optimization (PSO) as ICA-PSO to enhance energy management. The proposed energy management system operates in an offline mode, anticipating data for the upcoming 24 h, including consumption predictions, tariff rates, and meteorological data. This anticipatory approach facilitates optimal power distribution among the various connected sources within the microgrid. The performance of the proposed hybrid ICA-PSO algorithm is evaluated by comparing it with three selected benchmark algorithms, namely the genetic algorithm (GA), ICA, and PSO. This comparison aims to assess the effectiveness of the ICA-PSO algorithm in optimizing energy management in multi-source residential microgrids. The simulation results, obtained using Matlab 2023a, provide clear evidence of the effectiveness of the hybrid ICA-PSO algorithm in achieving optimal power flows and delivering substantial cost savings. The hybrid algorithm outperforms the benchmark algorithms with cost reductions of 4.47%, 14.93%, and 26% compared to ICA, PSO, and GA, respectively. Furthermore, it achieves a remarkable participation rate of 50.6% for renewable resources in the energy mix, surpassing the participation levels of the ICA (42.88%), PSO (40.51%), and GA (38.95%). This research contributes to the advancement of power flow management techniques in the context of multi-source residential microgrids, paving the way for further research and development in this field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Utilization of Recycled and Sustainable Materials in Energy-Efficient Buildings and Infrastructural Systems)

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21 pages, 5614 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Roadway Embedded Smart Illumination Charging System for Electric Vehicles

by Daniel Fernandez, Ann Sebastian, Patience Raby, Moneeb Genedy, Ethan C. Ahn, Mahmoud M. Reda Taha, Samer Dessouky and Sara Ahmed

Energies 2023, 16(2), 835; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16020835 - 11 Jan 2023

Viewed by 2205

Abstract

Inspired by the fact that there is an immense amount of renewable energy sources available on the roadways, such as mechanical pressure, this study presents the development and implementation of an innovative charging technique for electric vehicles (EVs) by fully utilizing the existing roadways and state-of-the-art nanotechnology and power electronics. The developed Smart Illuminative Charging is a novel wireless charging system that uses LEDs powered by piezoelectric materials as the energy transmitter source and thin film solar panels placed at the bottom of the EVs as the receiver, which is then poised to deliver the harvested energy to the vehicle’s battery. The piezoelectric materials were tested for their mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion capabilities and the relatively large-area EH2N samples (2 cm × 2 cm) produced high output voltages of up to 52 mV upon mechanical pressure. Furthermore, a lab-scale prototype device was developed to testify the proposed mechanism of illuminative charging (i.e., “light” coupled pavement and vehicle as a wireless energy transfer medium). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Utilization of Recycled and Sustainable Materials in Energy-Efficient Buildings and Infrastructural Systems)

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11 pages, 2797 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ensuring the Safety of Buildings by Reducing the Noise Impact through the Use of Green Wall Systems

by Natalia Shushunova, Elena Korol, Elisaveta Luzay, Diana Shafieva and Piero Bevilacqua

Energies 2022, 15(21), 8097; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15218097 - 31 Oct 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2537

Abstract

Modern environmental problems are caused by increased energy consumption and the urban heat island effect. Urban noise pollution is another big problem in the Megacities. Ensuring safety with reducing hazards in the urban space is one of the priority tasks of the urban city centers. One solution is the use of green technologies in the construction of office and residential real estate. In this research, we provide the analysis of reducing the noise impact through the use of different green wall systems, such as modular, hydroponic and container, analyzing their benefits and disadvantages in terms of operation and maintenance. After that, we chose hydroponic systems as the most efficient ones and examined different conditions of the system and how these types reduce the noise analyzing absorption coefficient. As a result, we found out that the efficiency of the hydroponic green wall system depends on the humidity of the substrate and the presence of the plants, which confirms the importance of vegetation in reducing noise impact in urban environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Utilization of Recycled and Sustainable Materials in Energy-Efficient Buildings and Infrastructural Systems)

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