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Energies
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Sustainable Materials and Technologies for Energy Efficient Buildings
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Sustainable Materials and Technologies for Energy Efficient Buildings

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2021) | Viewed by 22136

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Izabela Hager

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24, 31-155 Cracow, Poland
Interests: sustainability; building materials; concrete; geopolymers; durability; 3D printing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Jacek Śliwiński

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24, 31-155 Cracow, Poland
Interests: building materials engineering; concrete technology; high-performance cement-based composites; durability; transport properties

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The development of civilization necessitates the search for new materials that satisfy the growing needs of the construction industry in terms of their quality and quantity while observing the principles of sustainable development. Which construction materials can be called sustainable? A primary criterion may be lower energy consumption during the production process while maintaining full functionality of the resulting materials. In addition to this, developing more durable materials also contributes to sustainability, enabling reduction of the high environmental impact of maintenance, repairs, and replacement of traditional materials used in buildings and civil engineering works. The use of greener and more eco-friendly manufacturing technologies has become an essential topic of research, allowing us to reduce waste production and energy consumption. Digital manufacturing and materials for 3D printing fall within the scope of this Special Issue because, when compared to traditional building construction processes, this technology enables energy savings and reduction of human resources, offering almost unlimited possibilities for geometricaly complex realisations, with lower material transportation costs and less material waste.
This issue also welcomes research papers showing an overview of recent advances in the field of sustainable, energy-saving, additively manufactured buildings and building components. The scope also covers low CO2 binders, geopolymers, and alkali-activated materials, dismantlement, reuse and recycling of materials, new materials and their applications and performance testing, new materials for energy-efficient buildings, and their durability evaluation.

We would like, therefore, to encourage researchers to present their latest findings concerning sustainable building technologies enabling greater energy efficiency and improvements in durability, contributing to the creation of an overview of the most recent research and technology developments in this field.

Prof. Dr. Izabela Hager
Prof. Dr. Jacek Śliwiński
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

  • building materials
  • sustainability
  • energy efficiency
  • 3D printing
  • durability
  • recycling
  • geopolymers

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 8079 KiB  
Article
Alternative Ways of Cooling a Passive School Building in Order to Maintain Thermal Comfort in Summer
by Anna Dudzińska and Tomasz Kisilewicz
Energies 2021, 14(1), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14010070 - 25 Dec 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2897
Abstract
The heatwaves that have affected our civilization in recent years pose a serious threat to the environment as well as the proper functioning of our bodies. Schools are facilities with specific microclimatic requirements. Thermal conditions in educational buildings are decisive for the stimulation [...] Read more.
The heatwaves that have affected our civilization in recent years pose a serious threat to the environment as well as the proper functioning of our bodies. Schools are facilities with specific microclimatic requirements. Thermal conditions in educational buildings are decisive for the stimulation and efficiency of the learning process, as well as the interaction of students. Based on the measurements of thermal comfort carried out in the school building, with the energy standard of a passive building, it can be observed that in schools with very low energy consumption, the problem of interior overheating may occur in the summer months. In this paper, an attempt was made to search for alternative passive measures allowing for the required indoor microclimate conditions to be obtained. Such solutions are in line with the spirit of the European energy policy and sustainable development. A model of the school under study was created using the Design Builder simulation program. The role of mechanical ventilation and the possibility of night ventilation in reducing discomfort were examined. Consideration was given to the justification of using expensive heat pump installations with a ground heat exchanger to reduce overheating in summer. The application of the adaptive approach to the assessment of thermal conditions and the acceptance of limited overheating periods led to the conclusion that the analyzed building could function successfully without these additional installation elements. A proprietary tool for the analysis of microclimate conditions was proposed to estimate the hours of discomfort in a way that is objective and easy to calculate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Materials and Technologies for Energy Efficient Buildings)
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28 pages, 14416 KiB  
Article
3D Concrete Printing for Sustainable Construction
by Maria Kaszyńska, Szymon Skibicki and Marcin Hoffmann
Energies 2020, 13(23), 6351; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13236351 - 1 Dec 2020
Cited by 40 | Viewed by 7321
Abstract
Despite the rapid development of 3D printing technology for cement composites, there are still a number of unsolved issues related to extrusion printing. One of them is proper mix design that allows for meeting criteria related to the printing of cementitious materials, such [...] Read more.
Despite the rapid development of 3D printing technology for cement composites, there are still a number of unsolved issues related to extrusion printing. One of them is proper mix design that allows for meeting criteria related to the printing of cementitious materials, such as pumpability, buildability, consistency on the materials, flowability and workability, simultaneously incorporating sustainable development ideas. In the case of mixes for 3D printing, the modification of the composition which increases the overall performance does not always go hand in hand with the reduction of negative environmental impact. The article presents the results of tests of eight mixtures modified with reactive and inert mineral additives designed for 3D printing. The mixes were evaluated in terms of their rheological and mechanical properties as well as environmental impact. Initial test results were verified by printing hollow columns up until collapse. Later, the differences between the compressive strength of standard samples and printed columns were determined. In order to summarize the results, a multi-faceted analysis of the properties of the mixes was carried out, introducing assessment indicators for its individual parameters. The article proves that appropriate material modification of mixes for 3D printing can significantly reduce the negative impact on the environment without hindering required 3D printing properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Materials and Technologies for Energy Efficient Buildings)
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Graphical abstract

14 pages, 2903 KiB  
Article
Energy Sustainability of Rural Residential Buildings with Bio-Based Building Fabric in Northeast China
by Xunzhi Yin, Jiaqi Yu, Qi Dong, Yongheng Jia and Cheng Sun
Energies 2020, 13(21), 5806; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13215806 - 6 Nov 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2326
Abstract
Due to the cold winters in northeast China, the energy consumption of the rural residential buildings is much higher in this region than in other regions. In this study, the energy sustainability of bio-based wall construction is examined through applications in rural residential [...] Read more.
Due to the cold winters in northeast China, the energy consumption of the rural residential buildings is much higher in this region than in other regions. In this study, the energy sustainability of bio-based wall construction is examined through applications in rural residential buildings. Comparisons of the energy sustainability of the bio-based wall constructions and the conventional wall constructions are evaluated using IESVE-2019 computational simulation. The results show notable reductions in heating energy requirements and coal use, which is the major heating source for rural residential buildings in China. The results show that reductions of 45.82–204.07 kWh/m2/year in heating energy requirements and more than 40% in coal use are possible through application of bio-based wall constructions. The application of bio-based wall construction will result in lower seasonal air pollution and coal use through straw burning in northeast China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Materials and Technologies for Energy Efficient Buildings)
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16 pages, 7171 KiB  
Article
Influence of Slag Cement on the Permeability of Concrete for Biological Shielding Structures
by Daria Jóźwiak-Niedźwiedzka, Mariusz Dąbrowski, Karolina Bogusz and Michał A. Glinicki
Energies 2020, 13(17), 4582; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13174582 - 3 Sep 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2521
Abstract
Durability of concrete designed for radiation shielding structures is an important issue in nuclear power plant safety. An investigation of the permeability of concrete containing heavyweight aggregates and water-bearing aggregates was performed with respect to gaseous and liquid media. Mix design was developed [...] Read more.
Durability of concrete designed for radiation shielding structures is an important issue in nuclear power plant safety. An investigation of the permeability of concrete containing heavyweight aggregates and water-bearing aggregates was performed with respect to gaseous and liquid media. Mix design was developed using Portland and slag cement, crushed magnetite and serpentine aggregate. The use of slag cement in concrete containing magnetite and serpentine aggregates resulted in the substantial improvement of the compressive strength in comparison with Portland cement concrete. The application of slag cement was found to reduce the chloride ingress, regardless of the special aggregate use. The coefficient of chloride migration was within the range 5 ÷ 8 × 10−12 m2/s and 17 ÷ 25 × 10−12 m2/s for slag cement concrete and Portland cement concrete, respectively. At the same time, the carbonation depth was increased twice for slag cement concrete in comparison to Portland cement concrete. However, the maximum carbonation depth after one year of exposure to 1% CO2 was only 14 mm for slag cement concrete, and 7 mm for reference concrete. The total pore volume evaluated using mercury intrusion porosimetry was influenced by the type of special aggregate used. It was shown that concrete with various contents of magnetite aggregate and slag cement achieved the smallest total pore volume. While serpentine coarse aggregate caused an increase in total pore volume in comparison to concrete with magnetite aggregate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Materials and Technologies for Energy Efficient Buildings)
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19 pages, 6905 KiB  
Article
Performance of Concrete with Low CO2 Emission
by Zbigniew Giergiczny, Anna Król, Michał Tałaj and Karol Wandoch
Energies 2020, 13(17), 4328; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13174328 - 20 Aug 2020
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3095
Abstract
The broader use of cements with a higher content of the main non-clinker components in construction industry is one of the directions leading to the decarbonization in cement production. This contribution analyzes the properties of low-emission cements containing from 44% to 56% of [...] Read more.
The broader use of cements with a higher content of the main non-clinker components in construction industry is one of the directions leading to the decarbonization in cement production. This contribution analyzes the properties of low-emission cements containing from 44% to 56% of Portland clinker in their composition and indicates the possibilities of wider use in the construction. The obtained results confirmed that following the appropriate technological regimes, low-emission cements can be implemented into the production of concrete exposed to carbonation-induced corrosion (exposure class XC4 according to EN 206), frost-resistant concrete (exposure class XF4 according to EN 206), self-compacting concrete (SCC) and high-performance concrete (HPC). An analysis of the level of CO2 emissions in the production of specific types of concrete using low-emission cements was also made. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Materials and Technologies for Energy Efficient Buildings)
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12 pages, 1862 KiB  
Article
Evolution of Mechanical Properties with Time of Fly-Ash-Based Geopolymer Mortars under the Effect of Granulated Ground Blast Furnace Slag Addition
by Mateusz Sitarz, Izabela Hager and Marta Choińska
Energies 2020, 13(5), 1135; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13051135 - 3 Mar 2020
Cited by 40 | Viewed by 2935
Abstract
Geopolymers are considered to alternatives to Portland cement, providing an opportunity to exploit aluminosilicate wastes or co-products with promising performances in the construction sector. This research is aimed at investigating the strength of fly-ash-geopolymers of different ages. The effect of granulated blast furnace [...] Read more.
Geopolymers are considered to alternatives to Portland cement, providing an opportunity to exploit aluminosilicate wastes or co-products with promising performances in the construction sector. This research is aimed at investigating the strength of fly-ash-geopolymers of different ages. The effect of granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) as a partial replacement of fly ash (FA) on the tensile (ft) and compressive strength (fc), as well as the modulus of elasticity, is investigated. The main advantage of the developed geopolymer mixes containing GGBFS is their ability to set and harden at room temperature with no need for heating to obtain binding properties, reducing the energy consumption of their production processes. This procedure presents a huge advantage over binders requiring heat curing, constituting a significant energy savings and reduction of CO2 emissions. It is found that the development of strength strongly depends on the ratio of fly-ash to granulated blast furnace slag. With the highest amount of GGBFS, the compressive strength of geopolymers made of fly-ash reached 63 MPa after 28 days of curing at ambient temperature. The evolution of compressive strength with time is correlated with the development of ultrasound pulse velocity methods, which are used to evaluate maturity. The modulus of elasticity changes with strength and the relationship obtained for the geopolymer is presented on the basis of typical models used for cement-based materials. The tensile to compressive strength ratios of the tested geopolymers are identified as higher than for cementitious binders, and the ft(fc) relationship is juxtaposed with dependencies known for cement binders, showing that the square root function gives the best fit to the results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Materials and Technologies for Energy Efficient Buildings)
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