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Energies
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Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Both New and Rehabilitated Ⅱ
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Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Both New and Rehabilitated Ⅱ

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 May 2021) | Viewed by 19784

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. José Manuel Andújar Márquez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, University of Huelva, 21819 Huelva, Spain
Interests: control engineering; renewable energy systems; remote piloted aircraft system applications and engineering education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Sergio Gómez Melgar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, University of Huelva, 21819 Huelva, Spain
Interests: data analysis; energy efficiency; passive architecture; building information modeling (BIM); nearly zero energy building (NZEB); minimum-energy building (MEB); zero energy building (ZEB); net energy generator building (+ZEB); subtropical climate building; building instrumentation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue "Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Both New and Rehabilitated Ⅱ" is a continuation of the previous successful Special Issue "Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Both New and Rehabilitated".

Buildings are one of the main causes of the emission of greenhouse gases in the world; in Europe, for example, they are responsible for more than 30% of emissions, or about 900 million tons of CO2 per year. Heating and air conditioning are mainly responsible for greenhouse gas emissions in buildings.

Based on the above, it is a current priority to reduce (or ideally eliminate) the waste of energy in buildings and at the same time supply the necessary energy through renewable sources. The first can be achieved by improving the construction methods, the materials used and the efficiency of the facilities and systems; the second can be achieved through the use of renewable energies (wind, solar, geothermal, etc.) in buildings. In any case, regardless of whether the energy used is renewable or not, the efficiency must always be taken into account: the most profitable and clean energy is that which is not necessary.

Most current buildings were built with poor energy efficiency criteria and even, depending on the country and the date of construction, with none. Therefore, regardless of whether construction regulations are becoming stricter, a huge challenge is the energy rehabilitation of existing buildings.

In this Special Issue, potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

  • Methodologies, processes, methods to design/build/rehabilitate minimum energy consumption buildings;
  • Efficient electric loads: ventilation, heating, air conditioning, lighting, domestic hot water, appliances, etc;
  • Facilities in buildings for minimum energy consumption;
  • Renewable energy applications in buildings;
  • Maintenance and management of buildings for minimum energy consumption;
  • Methods and systems of energy measurement and control in buildings;
  • Home automation for energy efficiency in buildings.

Prof. Dr. José Manuel Andújar
Dr. Sergio Gómez Melgar
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

  • energy efficiency
  • passive architecture
  • heating, ventilating and air conditioning
  • nearly zero energy building
  • renewable energy systems
  • energy rehabilitation

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 190 KiB  
Editorial
New Research Trends and Topics for Achieving Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Both New and Rehabilitated
by Sergio Gómez Melgar and José Manuel Andújar Márquez
Energies 2022, 15(3), 851; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15030851 - 25 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2293
Abstract
In the Special Issue of Energies entitled Energy Efficiency in Buildings Both New and Rehabilitated that was published in 2019, a broad spectrum of research teams from around the world provided their latest findings on how to reduce energy consumption in the building [...] Read more.
In the Special Issue of Energies entitled Energy Efficiency in Buildings Both New and Rehabilitated that was published in 2019, a broad spectrum of research teams from around the world provided their latest findings on how to reduce energy consumption in the building sector [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Both New and Rehabilitated Ⅱ)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

16 pages, 2427 KiB  
Article
Renewable Energy Technologies for Energy Efficient Buildings: The Case of Kuwait
by Bader Alshuraiaan
Energies 2021, 14(15), 4440; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14154440 - 23 Jul 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4466
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to identify the most relevant renewable energy technologies for buildings and to assess the effectiveness of their implementation in the long term for Kuwait. Methods of analogies and comparisons were used to determine the features of energy [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study is to identify the most relevant renewable energy technologies for buildings and to assess the effectiveness of their implementation in the long term for Kuwait. Methods of analogies and comparisons were used to determine the features of energy efficiency based on the technologies under study. The study proposes the methodological approach to assessing the effectiveness of the introduction of renewable energy technologies, determining the direction of increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and the investment efficiency of introducing these technologies. Renewable energy efficiency analysis for buildings in Kuwait confirms that solar energy systems have been the most widely available for widespread use of solar energy over the past three years. An increasing level of energy efficiency with a decrease in the notional cost of increasing energy savings is characteristic of solar collectors with booster reflectors. The proposed model for assessing the level of energy saving provides an opportunity for economic justification of introducing renewable energy technology in buildings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Both New and Rehabilitated Ⅱ)
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22 pages, 2686 KiB  
Article
Impact of Global Warming in Subtropical Climate Buildings: Future Trends and Mitigation Strategies
by Marta Videras Rodríguez, Antonio Sánchez Cordero, Sergio Gómez Melgar and José Manuel Andújar Márquez
Energies 2020, 13(23), 6188; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13236188 - 25 Nov 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3004
Abstract
The growing concern about global climate change extends to different professional sectors. In the building industry, the energy consumption of buildings becomes a factor susceptible to change due to the direct relationship between the outside temperature and the energy needed to cool and [...] Read more.
The growing concern about global climate change extends to different professional sectors. In the building industry, the energy consumption of buildings becomes a factor susceptible to change due to the direct relationship between the outside temperature and the energy needed to cool and heat the internal space. This document aims to estimate the energy consumption of a Minimum Energy Building (MEB) in different scenarios—past, present, and future—in the subtropical climate typical of seaside cities in Southern Spain. The building energy consumption has been predicted using dynamic building energy simulation software tools. Projected climate data were obtained in four time periods (Historical, the 2020s, 2050s, and 2080s), based on four emission scenarios defined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): B1, B2, A2, A1F1. This methodology has been mathematically complemented to obtain data in closer time frames (2025 and 2030). In addition, different mitigation strategies have been proposed to counteract the impact of climate change in the distant future. The different energy simulations carried on show clearly future trends of growth in total building energy consumption and how current building designers could be underestimating the problem of air conditioning needs in the subtropical zone. Electricity demand for heating is expected to decrease almost completely, while electricity demand for cooling increases considerably. The changes predicted are significant in all scenarios and periods, concluding an increase of between 28–51% in total primary energy consumption during the building life cycle. The proposed mitigation strategies show improvements in energy demands in a range of 11–14% and they could be considered in the initial stages of project design or incorporated in the future as the impact of climate change becomes more pronounced. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Both New and Rehabilitated Ⅱ)
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27 pages, 4142 KiB  
Article
Matching Energy Consumption and Photovoltaic Production in a Retrofitted Dwelling in Subtropical Climate without a Backup System
by Sergio Gómez Melgar, Antonio Sánchez Cordero, Marta Videras Rodríguez and José Manuel Andújar Márquez
Energies 2020, 13(22), 6026; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13226026 - 18 Nov 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2875
Abstract
The construction sector is a great contributor to global warming both in new and existing buildings. Minimum energy buildings (MEBs) demand as little energy as possible, with an optimized architectural design, which includes passive solutions. In addition, these buildings consume as low energy [...] Read more.
The construction sector is a great contributor to global warming both in new and existing buildings. Minimum energy buildings (MEBs) demand as little energy as possible, with an optimized architectural design, which includes passive solutions. In addition, these buildings consume as low energy as possible introducing efficient facilities. Finally, they produce renewable energy on-site to become zero energy buildings (ZEBs) or even plus zero energy buildings (+ZEB). In this paper, a deep analysis of the energy use and renewable energy production of a social dwelling was carried out based on data measurements. Unfortunately, in residential buildings, most renewable energy production occurs at a different time than energy demand. Furthermore, energy storage batteries for these facilities are expensive and require significant maintenance. The present research proposes a strategy, which involves rescheduling energy demand by changing the habits of the occupants in terms of domestic hot water (DHW) consumption, cooking, and washing. Rescheduling these three electric circuits increases the usability of the renewable energy produced on-site, reducing the misused energy from 52.84% to 25.14%, as well as decreasing electricity costs by 58.46%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Both New and Rehabilitated Ⅱ)
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20 pages, 7883 KiB  
Article
Analysis of the Relationship of the Improvement of Façades and Thermal Bridges of Spanish Building Stock with the Mitigation of Its Energy and Environmental Impact
by David Bienvenido-Huertas
Energies 2020, 13(17), 4499; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13174499 - 1 Sep 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2478
Abstract
The energy improvement of building stock is essential to achieve a low-carbon economy. The improvement of façades is among the most common measures to reduce energy consumption. However, the effect of thermal bridges is undervalued in most cases. This study assesses the effect [...] Read more.
The energy improvement of building stock is essential to achieve a low-carbon economy. The improvement of façades is among the most common measures to reduce energy consumption. However, the effect of thermal bridges is undervalued in most cases. This study assesses the effect of improving building façades and thermal bridges. For this purpose, a case study is assessed for all climate zones in Spain, both in current and future scenarios, considering operational patterns from the COVID-19 pandemic. The study shows that the application of energy conservation measures focusing on reducing the thermal transmittance of façades and the linear thermal transmittance of thermal bridges has a more significant energy and environmental effect than other, more economical energy conservation measures that do not improve the effect of thermal bridges. Likewise, the application of energy conservation measures to improve façades can reduce carbon dioxide emissions but are far from achieving the 90% reduction set by the European Union by 2050. Consequently, these measures should be combined with other measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Both New and Rehabilitated Ⅱ)
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22 pages, 11185 KiB  
Article
Maintenance of Passive House Standard in the Light of Long-Term Study on Energy Use in a Prefabricated Lightweight Passive House in Central Europe
by Krzysztof Wąs, Jan Radoń and Agnieszka Sadłowska-Sałęga
Energies 2020, 13(11), 2801; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13112801 - 1 Jun 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3429
Abstract
This article presents the results of experimental research on energy consumption of a prefabricated lightweight passive house located in the south of Poland. The key design parameters of the building were as follows: orientation maximizing heat gains from solar radiation, high thermal insulation [...] Read more.
This article presents the results of experimental research on energy consumption of a prefabricated lightweight passive house located in the south of Poland. The key design parameters of the building were as follows: orientation maximizing heat gains from solar radiation, high thermal insulation of partitions, heat provided by ground source heat pump, and mechanical ventilation system with the heat exchanger. The measurements were performed in normal operating conditions in an inhabited building, throughout the years 2011–2019. For the year 2012, the article also presents the detailed structure of electricity used for particular devices. The objective of the research was to verify whether, in the long term, the building fulfils the energy consumption requirements for passive buildings. The measurements showed that energy consumption for heating was 50% lower than the value required from passive buildings. However, primary energy consumption for the entire building was exceeded already in the second year of research. This was caused by two factors: human behaviors and the type of primary energy source. The research concludes that the maintenance of passive house standard is vulnerable to human impact and difficult in the case of power source characterized by high index of expenditure on non-renewable primary energy. The article also presents recommendations on how to restore the passive house standard in the building. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Both New and Rehabilitated Ⅱ)
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