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Sustainable Building Thermal and Energy Management: Novel Materials and Advanced...
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Sustainable Building Thermal and Energy Management: Novel Materials and Advanced Cooling Strategies

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Energy, Physics, Environment, and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 4609

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chi Yan Tso

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Guest Editor
School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Interests: thermofluid; energy and built environment; heat transfer; energy efficient building technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jianheng Chen

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Guest Editor
School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Interests: renewable energy technologies; radiative sky cooling; solar energy; thermal comfort; flow assurance; heat transfer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Considering the increasing global focus on energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, this Special Issue seeks to address the challenges and opportunities present when aiming to achieve optimal thermal comfort while minimizing energy consumption and the environmental impact of buildings. This Special Issue invites original research papers, review articles, and case studies that focus on the thermal and energy management of sustainable buildings, with a particular emphasis on novel materials and advanced cooling strategies. An excellent opportunity will be provided for researchers, engineers, architects, and practitioners to share their latest findings, experiences, and insights regarding sustainable buildings. By exploring novel materials and advanced cooling strategies, this Special Issue will contribute to the development of energy-efficient buildings that promote thermal comfort, reduce energy consumption, and mitigate environmental impacts. This Special Issue will address a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Novel materials for building thermal insulation
  • Advanced cooling strategies
  • Energy-efficient building design
  • Building retrofitting for thermal and energy efficiency
  • Passive envelope systems
  • Renewable energy applications in buildings
  • Thermal and electrical energy storage systems
  • Indoor thermal comfort and occupant well-being
  • HVAC systems
  • Intelligent buildings (operation and control)
  • Life cycle assessment and environmental impact
  • Emerging technologies for sustainable facilities and infrastructure

Authors are invited to submit high-quality, original research papers or review articles that address the aforementioned topics. All submissions will undergo a rigorous peer-review process to ensure the publication of scholarly work.

Dr. Chi Yan Tso
Dr. Jianheng Chen
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. Buildings 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 sustainability
  • building materials
  • cooling strategies
  • thermal management
  • energy efficiency
  • thermal insulation
  • passive cooling
  • renewable energy
  • indoor thermal comfort
  • environmental impact

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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
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  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 9669 KiB  
Article
An Investigation of the Ventilation Systems of Whole-Indoor Urban Substations
by Dakun Xu, Lei Zhang, Hao Wang, Kangyue Wang and Wenke Zhang
Buildings 2024, 14(12), 3749; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14123749 - 25 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 613
Abstract
The electricity load increases significantly with the development of the economy, which raises the issue of scarce land resources; therefore, the application of whole-indoor urban substations has become more and more extensive. However, both the closed environment of indoor substations and their unreasonable [...] Read more.
The electricity load increases significantly with the development of the economy, which raises the issue of scarce land resources; therefore, the application of whole-indoor urban substations has become more and more extensive. However, both the closed environment of indoor substations and their unreasonable ventilation systems mean that the heat dissipation of the equipment cannot be discharged in time. In this study, a combination of natural and mechanical ventilation systems is developed to solve the problem of high indoor temperatures, and corresponding studies are conducted via both numerical simulation and experimental research. Firstly, the ventilation and heat dissipation problem of the whole-indoor urban substation was investigated using numerical simulation technology, and then the feasibility of the ventilation system was determined. Secondly, the experimental platform (including the heat dissipation equipment and ventilation system) was set up, the heat dissipation of the reactor room was analyzed, and the system was tested experimentally. Afterward, the noise generated by the experimental platform was measured and predicted. Finally, via the numerical simulation analysis, it was found that the ventilation effect would be improved regardless of the heat dissipation and that reducing the outdoor temperature or increasing the ventilation volume would reduce the indoor temperature, which could be controlled within 40 °C. The results of this study provide a reference basis and technical guidance for the engineering projects of ventilation systems for indoor substations, which can effectively solve the problem of excessive indoor temperature caused by heat dissipation from substation equipment while providing a favorable guarantee for sustainable operation of the substation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Building Thermal and Energy Management: Novel Materials and Advanced Cooling Strategies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1
<p>The physical model of an indoor substation with ventilation system.</p> Full article ">Figure 2
<p>The grid division diagram.</p> Full article ">Figure 3
<p>The grid independence analysis.</p> Full article ">Figure 4
<p>The indoor temperature and the wind velocity distribution at x = 1.3 m cross-section in summer. (<b>a</b>) The temperature profile; (<b>b</b>) the wind velocity profile.</p> Full article ">Figure 5
<p>The indoor temperature and the wind velocity distribution at x = 3 m cross-section in summer. (<b>a</b>) The temperature profile; (<b>b</b>) the wind velocity profile.</p> Full article ">Figure 6
<p>The measuring point position mark map.</p> Full article ">Figure 7
<p>The photos of the experimental platform. (<b>a</b>) Outdoor view; (<b>b</b>) fan view; (<b>c</b>) indoor view.</p> Full article ">Figure 8
<p>Test result diagram of manual control. (<b>a</b>) The heat dissipation capacity is 20 kW. (<b>b</b>) The heat dissipation capacity is 30 kW. (<b>c</b>) The heat dissipation capacity is 40 kW. (<b>d</b>) The heat dissipation capacity is 50 kW.</p> Full article ">Figure 9
<p>Indoor temperature distribution in working condition 16. (<b>a</b>) Where z = 2.25 m; (<b>b</b>) where x = 3 m.</p> Full article ">Figure 10
<p>The location of the noise test.</p> Full article ">Figure 11
<p>Noise area (1.2 m height).</p> Full article ">Figure 12
<p>Indoor temperature distribution at x = 3 m cross-section under different ventilation volumes. (<b>a</b>) Ventilation volume of 7138.59 m<sup>3</sup>/h. (<b>b</b>) Ventilation of 9518.12 m<sup>3</sup>/h. (<b>c</b>) Ventilation volume of 11,897.65 m<sup>3</sup>/h. (<b>d</b>) Ventilation of 14,277.18 m<sup>3</sup>/h.</p> Full article ">Figure 12 Cont.
<p>Indoor temperature distribution at x = 3 m cross-section under different ventilation volumes. (<b>a</b>) Ventilation volume of 7138.59 m<sup>3</sup>/h. (<b>b</b>) Ventilation of 9518.12 m<sup>3</sup>/h. (<b>c</b>) Ventilation volume of 11,897.65 m<sup>3</sup>/h. (<b>d</b>) Ventilation of 14,277.18 m<sup>3</sup>/h.</p> Full article ">Figure 13
<p>Trend of influence of ventilation volume on indoor temperature.</p> Full article ">Figure 14
<p>Indoor temperature distribution at x = 3 m under different heat dissipation capacities. (<b>a</b>) 20 kW; (<b>b</b>) 30 kW; (<b>c</b>) 40 kW; (<b>d</b>) 50 kW.</p> Full article ">Figure 15
<p>Trend of influence of heat dissipation on indoor temperature.</p> Full article ">Figure 16
<p>Indoor temperature distribution at x = 3 m cross-section under different outdoor temperatures. (<b>a</b>) The outdoor temperature is 21 °C. (<b>b</b>) The outdoor temperature is 24 °C. (<b>c</b>) The outdoor temperature is 27 °C. (<b>d</b>) The outdoor temperature is 30 °C.</p> Full article ">Figure 17
<p>Variation of indoor temperature with outdoor temperature.</p> Full article ">Figure 18
<p>Indoor temperature distribution at x = 3 m cross-section in winter.</p> Full article ">Figure 19
<p>Indoor temperature distribution at x = 3 m cross-section under extreme maximum temperatures in summer.</p> Full article ">
14 pages, 8514 KiB  
Article
Improving the Thermochemical Heat Storage Performance of Calcium Hydroxide in a Fixed-Bed Reactor by Y-Shaped Fins
by Guangyao Zhao, Zhen Li, Jiakang Yao, Zhehui Zhao, Sixing Zhang, Na Cheng, Lei Jiang and Jun Yan
Buildings 2024, 14(11), 3694; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14113694 - 20 Nov 2024
Viewed by 597
Abstract
Thermochemical heat storage technology has great development prospects due to its high energy storage density and stable long-term storage capacity. The calcium hydroxide/calcium oxide reaction has been proven to be feasible for thermochemical heat storage. However, due to its low thermal conductivity, the [...] Read more.
Thermochemical heat storage technology has great development prospects due to its high energy storage density and stable long-term storage capacity. The calcium hydroxide/calcium oxide reaction has been proven to be feasible for thermochemical heat storage. However, due to its low thermal conductivity, the slow heat storage reaction in the fixed-bed reactor needs to be improved. In this work, the Y-shaped fin was used to improve the heat storage performance, and a multi-physics numerical model was established for its heat storage process in the fixed bed. The results show that the Y-shaped fin can accelerate the heat storage reaction due to the improved heat transfer inside the reactor. The heat storage time decreases by 45.59% compared to the reactor without a fin and it decreases by 4.31% compared to the reactor with the rectangular fin. The increase in the wall temperature of the heating tube and the thermal conductivity of the fin can improve the heat storage performance; moreover, the Y-shaped fin shows more performance improvement than the rectangular fin at high wall temperature or thermal conductivity. The increase in porosity of heat storage material can shorten heat storage time due to the reduction in reactant, and the Y-shaped fin can still give a better performance than the rectangular fin at different porosity levels. This work can provide a reference for improving the heat storage performance of fixed-bed reactors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Building Thermal and Energy Management: Novel Materials and Advanced Cooling Strategies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1
<p>Schematic diagram of reactor structure: (<b>a</b>) without fin; (<b>b</b>) rectangular fin; (<b>c</b>) Y-shaped fin.</p> Full article ">Figure 2
<p>Model validation: (<b>a</b>) grid independence; (<b>b</b>) accuracy [<a href="#B24-buildings-14-03694" class="html-bibr">24</a>].</p> Full article ">Figure 3
<p>Effects of Y-shaped fin setting: (<b>a</b>) reaction time; (<b>b</b>) temperature; (<b>c</b>) concentration of reactant; (<b>d</b>) pressure.</p> Full article ">Figure 4
<p>Comparison of without fin, rectangular fin, and Y-shaped fin: (<b>a</b>) reaction time; (<b>b</b>) concentration of reactant; (<b>c</b>) temperature; (<b>d</b>) pressure; (<b>e</b>) reaction time and heat capacity under different heating tube size.</p> Full article ">Figure 5
<p>Comparison of temperature distribution: (<b>a</b>) without fin; (<b>b</b>) rectangular fin; (<b>c</b>) Y-shaped fin.</p> Full article ">Figure 6
<p>Comparison of reaction extent distribution: (<b>a</b>) without fin; (<b>b</b>) rectangular fin; (<b>c</b>) Y-shaped fin.</p> Full article ">Figure 7
<p>Comparison of pressure distribution: (<b>a</b>) without fin; (<b>b</b>) rectangular fin; (<b>c</b>) Y-shaped fin.</p> Full article ">Figure 8
<p>Effects of wall temperature: (<b>a</b>) comparison of reaction time between the rectangular and Y-shaped fin; (<b>b</b>) temperature and concentration of reactant of Y-shaped fin.</p> Full article ">Figure 9
<p>Effects of porosity: (<b>a</b>) comparison of reaction time between the rectangular and Y-shaped fin; (<b>b</b>) heat capacity of Y-shaped fin; (<b>c</b>) temperature of Y-shaped fin; (<b>d</b>) pressure of Y-shaped fin.</p> Full article ">Figure 10
<p>Effects of thermal conductivity of fin: (<b>a</b>) comparison of reaction time between the rectangular and Y-shaped fin; (<b>b</b>) temperature and concentration of reactant of Y-shaped fin.</p> Full article ">
24 pages, 6928 KiB  
Article
Adjustable PV Slats for Energy Efficiency and Comfort Improvement of a Radiantly Cooled Office Room in Tropical Climate
by Pipat Chaiwiwatworakul
Buildings 2024, 14(10), 3282; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14103282 - 17 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 720
Abstract
This paper investigated an application of adjustable photovoltaic (PV) slats to improve the thermal performance of an exposed glazing window and sequentially enhance the energy efficiency and thermal comfort of an office room. Solar radiation and longwave heat gains from a window fitted [...] Read more.
This paper investigated an application of adjustable photovoltaic (PV) slats to improve the thermal performance of an exposed glazing window and sequentially enhance the energy efficiency and thermal comfort of an office room. Solar radiation and longwave heat gains from a window fitted with PV slats were measured through experiments conducted in an outdoor chamber cooled by a radiant ceiling system. The daylight level at the workplane was also measured inside the chamber. A transient thermal model was developed and validated against experimental data. Using the experimental chamber as a demonstration case, the model revealed that adjusting the slats monthly to fully block direct sunlight could reduce the electrical energy use by 67% compared to a typical office with heat reflective glass windows. However, the electricity generated by the PV slats contributed a minor portion of the overall energy savings. To assess the thermal comfort impact of the PV slats in the room with the radiant cooling, this study utilized radiation asymmetry criteria from ASHRAE Standard 55. Simulations showed that the PV slat-shaded glazing window resulted in a lower asymmetric plane radiant temperature than the unshaded window of heat reflective glass. The adjustable slat system reduced the risk of local discomfort for occupants working near the window in the radiantly cooled office room. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Building Thermal and Energy Management: Novel Materials and Advanced Cooling Strategies)
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Figure 1

Figure 1
<p>The PV slat system.</p> Full article ">Figure 2
<p>Solar radiation exchange of the PV slat system.</p> Full article ">Figure 3
<p>The energy balance of the PV slat system.</p> Full article ">Figure 4
<p>A heat balance model of the single pane glazed window.</p> Full article ">Figure 5
<p>Experimental chamber.</p> Full article ">Figure 6
<p>Measurement setup.</p> Full article ">Figure 7
<p>The experimental results of the PV slats at 0°.</p> Full article ">Figure 7 Cont.
<p>The experimental results of the PV slats at 0°.</p> Full article ">Figure 8
<p>The experimental results of the PV slats at 40°.</p> Full article ">Figure 9
<p>The experimental results of the PV slats at 60°.</p> Full article ">Figure 10
<p>Measurement of the solar power from the PV slats.</p> Full article ">Figure 11
<p>The monthly PV slat adjustment scheme.</p> Full article ">Figure 12
<p>Availability of daylight and solar radiation.</p> Full article ">Figure 13
<p>Daylight from the window with the PV slats.</p> Full article ">Figure 14
<p>Daylight from the heat reflective glass.</p> Full article ">Figure 15
<p>Thermal gain from the window with slats.</p> Full article ">Figure 16
<p>Thermal gain from the heat reflective glass.</p> Full article ">Figure 17
<p>Comparison of local discomfort of radiation asymmetry.</p> Full article ">
20 pages, 6816 KiB  
Article
Energy Performance and Comfort Analysis of Three Glazing Materials with Distinct Thermochromic Responses as Roller Shade Alternative in Cooling- and Heating-Dominated Climates
by Thilhara Tennakoon, Yin-Hoi Chan, Ka-Chung Chan, Chili Wu, Christopher Yu-Hang Chao and Sau-Chung Fu
Buildings 2024, 14(4), 1157; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14041157 - 19 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1801
Abstract
Thermochromic (TC) smart windows are a leading passive building design strategy. Vanadium dioxide (VO2), hydrogel and TC-Perovskite glazing, which constitute the main categories of TC materials, modulate different wavelength regions. Although numerous studies have reported on these TC glazings’ energy-saving potential [...] Read more.
Thermochromic (TC) smart windows are a leading passive building design strategy. Vanadium dioxide (VO2), hydrogel and TC-Perovskite glazing, which constitute the main categories of TC materials, modulate different wavelength regions. Although numerous studies have reported on these TC glazings’ energy-saving potential individually, there is a lack of data comparing their energy efficiencies. Moreover, their suitability as an alternative to dynamic solar shading mechanisms remains unexplored. Using building energy simulation, this study found that a hydrogel glazing with broadband thermochromism can save more energy (22–24% savings on average) than opaque roller shades (19–20%) in a typical office in both New York and Hong Kong. VO2 glazing performed comparably to translucent roller shades (14–16% savings), except when used in poorly daylit conditions. TC-Perovskite was a poor replacement for roller shades (~2% savings). The window-to-wall ratio (WWR) that allowed both energy savings and optimal natural light penetration was also identified for each glazing. Hydrogel glazing demonstrated both energy and daylight efficiency in Hong Kong’s cooling-dominated climate when used in 40–50% WWR configurations. In New York’s colder conditions, VO2 glazing did so for higher WWRs (50–70%). Roller shades could also achieve simultaneous energy savings and visual comfort, but only for highly glazed facades (up to 80%). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Building Thermal and Energy Management: Novel Materials and Advanced Cooling Strategies)
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Figure 1

Figure 1
<p>Modelled office room measuring 6 m × 6 m × 4 m.</p> Full article ">Figure 2
<p>(<b>a</b>) NoTC reference, (<b>b</b>) thermochromic (VO<sub>2</sub>-based VIGU, hydrogel-based HIGU and TC-Perovskite-based PIGU), and (<b>c</b>) shaded (with opaque/translucent roller shades) window configurations.</p> Full article ">Figure 3
<p>(<b>a</b>) Transmittance spectra of VO<sub>2</sub> (V), hydrogel (H) and TC-Perovskite (P) glazing, and (<b>b</b>) thermal reflectance spectra of H in clear/cold (solid line) and tinted/hot states (dashed line). The long-wave properties of V and P are not included as their silicon dioxide substrate is near-opaque to TIR, i.e., thermal tuning is not a feature.</p> Full article ">Figure 3 Cont.
<p>(<b>a</b>) Transmittance spectra of VO<sub>2</sub> (V), hydrogel (H) and TC-Perovskite (P) glazing, and (<b>b</b>) thermal reflectance spectra of H in clear/cold (solid line) and tinted/hot states (dashed line). The long-wave properties of V and P are not included as their silicon dioxide substrate is near-opaque to TIR, i.e., thermal tuning is not a feature.</p> Full article ">Figure 4
<p>Annual site energy use intensity and savings (calculated against NoTC baseline) reported by orientation for (<b>a</b>) Hong Kong and (<b>b</b>) New York.</p> Full article ">Figure 4 Cont.
<p>Annual site energy use intensity and savings (calculated against NoTC baseline) reported by orientation for (<b>a</b>) Hong Kong and (<b>b</b>) New York.</p> Full article ">Figure 5
<p>(<b>a</b>) Annual heating energy savings in New York; (<b>b</b>) window heat gain and (<b>c</b>) loss during the coldest month in New York (January, occupied hours only); (<b>d</b>) annual cooling energy savings in Hong Kong; (<b>e</b>) window heat gain during the hottest month in Hong Kong (July, occupied hours only). All data reported for south-facing windows.</p> Full article ">Figure 6
<p>Annual lighting energy savings in Hong Kong and New York for offices with north- and south-facing windows.</p> Full article ">Figure 7
<p>The switching behaviour of the VO<sub>2</sub> (V), hydrogel (H) and TC-Perovskite (P) glazings during working hours in (<b>a</b>–<b>c</b>) Hong Kong and (<b>d</b>–<b>f</b>) New York, as a function of ambient temperature and incident solar radiation.</p> Full article ">Figure 8
<p>Tinted hours for TC glazings and roller shade engagement reported as annual percentages (of working hours) for north- and south-facing windows in (<b>a</b>) Hong Kong and (<b>b</b>) New York.</p> Full article ">Figure 9
<p>Percentage of under-lit (UDI<sub>&lt;500</sub>), well-lit (UDI<sub>500–2000</sub>) and over-lit (UDI<sub>&gt;2000</sub>) office hours for north- and south-facing windows in (<b>a</b>,<b>b</b>) Hong Kong and (<b>c</b>,<b>d</b>) New York.</p> Full article ">Figure 9 Cont.
<p>Percentage of under-lit (UDI<sub>&lt;500</sub>), well-lit (UDI<sub>500–2000</sub>) and over-lit (UDI<sub>&gt;2000</sub>) office hours for north- and south-facing windows in (<b>a</b>,<b>b</b>) Hong Kong and (<b>c</b>,<b>d</b>) New York.</p> Full article ">Figure 10
<p>Annual site energy savings for north- and south-facing windows as a function of WWR and window construction in (<b>a</b>,<b>b</b>) Hong Kong and (<b>c</b>,<b>d</b>) New York.</p> Full article ">Figure 11
<p>Daylighting performance for north- and south-facing windows in (<b>a</b>,<b>b</b>) Hong Kong and (<b>c</b>,<b>d</b>) New York measured by Sensor 1 (solid line) and Sensor 2 (dashed line).</p> Full article ">Figure 11 Cont.
<p>Daylighting performance for north- and south-facing windows in (<b>a</b>,<b>b</b>) Hong Kong and (<b>c</b>,<b>d</b>) New York measured by Sensor 1 (solid line) and Sensor 2 (dashed line).</p> Full article ">
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