Sustainable Building Research Articles

Insights into alkali and acid-activated volcanic ash-based materials: A review

This review provides a comprehensive study of the fundamentals of the alkaline and acid activation of volcanic ashes (VA), for mainstreaming their use as a conventional feedstock for developing geopolymers and their applications. The low reactivity in an alkaline environment is driven by the low content of the amorphous phase and the low solubility of iron, calcium and magnesium at pH > 12. Nevertheless, techniques such as mechanochemical activation has significantly improved the reactivity and the properties of the resulting products. In the acid phosphate medium, the high solubility of iron, calcium and magnesium ensures good reactivity and a high reaction rate at room temperature. As a result, the engineering properties of acid-phosphate-activated volcanic ash are superior to those of alkali-activated volcanic ash. The resulting materials have great potential for use as binders in concrete design, for the stabilization of compressed earth bricks and for the rapid repair of deteriorated concrete structures. However, significant research is required to fully understand their durability performances, life cycle and techno-economic viability for large-scale utilisation. Further, the limited availability of phosphate resources makes acid activation not a viable route to activate volcanic ash for building purposes. The acid-activated volcanic ash has potential in waste management applications such as nuclear waste or heavy metal encapsulation. Finally, volcanic ash emerges as a promising raw material for developing sustainable building materials through alkali and acid activation. This holds as its exploitation is non-disruptive, and processing requires less energy compared to calcined clay or fly ash.

Adaptability and integration influence on adaptive capacity of small- and medium-scale construction organisations

PurposeAdaptability and integration (ADI) are the core ingredients for environmentally sustainable construction (ESC), which preserves the ecology from unsupported human activities. However, the approach is lagging in developing countries, which has led to studying the influence of ADI on the adaptive capacity of small- and medium-scale construction organisations.Design/methodology/approachThe research employed a quantitative methodology, collecting 400 responses as a sample size. A construct of 14 influential factors concerning ADI within the Ghanaian small and medium-scale construction industry was developed. The data obtained from participants underwent analysis using SPSS version 26. The validity of the study’s findings was assessed by applying structural equation modelling (SEM) within the AMOS software.FindingsIt was evident that innovation advancement and ongoing training and evaluations significantly influence ADI for adaptive capacity. Moreover, the system internally and vulnerability (SIV) and perceived need for implementation (PNI) sub-scales were the main latent components for best construction practices.Practical implicationsGhana’s small- and medium-scale construction organisations have yet to fully recognise the importance of ADI in enhancing adaptive capacity for the best ESC. However, the results indicated that ADI constructs will significantly influence implementation outcomes to ensure ESC.Originality/valueThe originality of this research also resides in identifying how ADI affect small- and medium-scale construction organisation’s ability to ensure ecologically sustainable building practices.

Summer and winter performance evaluation of double layered PTFE dome with aerogel-glass wool thermal insulation- field experiments and numerical simulation

Achieving optimal thermal performance in large membrane-enclosed buildings presents a significant challenge. Aerogel mats offer potential for enhanced insulation, but their effectiveness in varying seasonal conditions is yet to be fully determined. The current study investigates the thermal performance of an enclosed dome with double-layered PTFE membrane roof integrated with aerogel-glass wool insulation mats. This research utilizes field experiments to assess indoor thermal comfort and numerical model to evaluate the effectiveness of the dome’s insulation capabilities during summer and winter conditions. The Aerogel integrated areas show a difference of 10.26/3.72 °C for summer/winter while that of 9.36/3.22 °C for glass wool-integrated areas. An online thermal comfort tool utilized maximum indoor temperature values during both seasons obtained from numerical results indicating that winter comfort falls within ASHRAE comfort range with PMV value −0.48 but summer conditions require enhancements. Additionally, the study assessed the insulation’s effectiveness using Maximum Reduction in Temperature (MRT), Decay Factor (DF), and Time Delay (TD) indicators. Results showed significant thermal lag, with peak temperature delays of up to 3.1 h in summer and 2.2 h in winter. Notable temperature differences between the dome’s inner and outer surfaces, alongside 28 % and 27 % DF reductions during summer and winter, respectively, demonstrated the roof insulation’s effectiveness. These findings support the use of both experimental and numerical methods to develop thermal management practices that improve sustainable building design, emphasizing occupant comfort and energy efficiency.

Green Building and Energy-Efficient Design

In the modern era, the rapid expansion of infrastructure is a crucial indicator of a country's development. However, this growth must be balanced with environmental conservation to ensure the well-being of humans and other living organisms. The construction industry, a significant development driver, is also a primary source of environmental pollution, contributing to approximately 40% of air pollution. The production and transportation of construction materials, particularly cement and steel, are primary culprits. These processes release substantial amounts of CO2, a greenhouse gas that deteriorates the ozone layer and exacerbates global warming. Cement production accounts for 8-10% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions, while steel manufacturing contributes about 5-10%. These emissions harm the environment and adversely affect human living conditions. Although it is challenging to eliminate CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, adopting sustainable living practices, such as the construction of green buildings, offers a viable path toward mitigation. Green or sustainable buildings are designed, constructed, operated, and maintained to minimize adverse environmental impacts and promote occupant health and well being. These structures aim to reduce resource consumption, increase energy efficiency, improve indoor air quality, and decrease the overall environmental footprint compared to traditional buildings. By prioritizing Sustainability, green buildings present an effective strategy to address the ecological challenges the construction industry poses, paving the way for a more sustainable and harmonious relationship between development and the natural world.

Architectonics of residential buildings in the Baikal region as part of its geosystem

Research into the development principles of residential areas in the natural and climatic conditions of the Baikal region, taking into account various interactions within the geosystem under seismic conditions, contributes to harmonizing the constituent and interconnected geosystem components. These include natural territorial, socio-economic, and natural-public spatial systems. Such research is aimed at improving the quality of architecture of residential buildings, ensuring their sustainability and comfort for different population groups. This article investigates the multi-stage structure of a materially organized and life-supporting spatial environment considering changes in socio-economic conditions. Natural, territorial, and urban planning components that determine the formation of sustainable residential buildings meeting the modern architectural requirements were investigated. This enabled the theoretical foundations of the geosystem structure to be revealed. The historical experience of forming residential environment, residential buildings, and their complexes both in Russia and abroad was studied. The main interrelated factors in the development of the architecture of residential buildings and their complexes in the geosystem were determined. These include the dynamics of spatial and temporal development of residential buildings and their complexes, the impact of such development on the processes of component interaction, and the interrelation of residential buildings and their complexes in the geosystem structure. Conceptual directions in the formation of residential buildings and their complexes under the existing and changing conditions of the Baikal region geosystem, including those regulated and self-regulated, are outlined.

Synthesis of geopolymer using glass fiber powder from retired wind blades: A new attempt to recycle solid waste in wind power industries

This study explores the potential of recycling and utilizing discarded wind turbine blades. It proposes a new method that upcycles the glass fiber powder (GFP) in these blades into geopolymer gel, offering a new solution for the recycling and treatment of retired wind blades. Analyses of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the GFP raw material and its dissolution in concentrated alkali indicate a large content of vitreous and active silica-aluminum, suggesting its suitability for producing geopolymers through alkali activation. The effects of the alkali activator modulus (Ms), alkali-binder ratio (N/B), and water-binder ratio (w/b), raw material particle size, and initial curing temperature on the compressive strength of the specimens were comprehensively and systematically investigated. The reaction behavior, chemical structure, and microstructure of GFP-synthesized geopolymers were characterized by selective dissolution, microcalorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The results showed that gels were formed by the geopolymerization reaction between the GFP and alkali activator. The compressive strength of the specimens increased first and then decreased with increasing alkali activator Ms and N/B. However, increasing w/b led to a decrease in strength. Appropriately small particle sizes of the raw material and moderately increasing the initial curing temperature are beneficial to strengthen the compressive strength. The optimal 28 days compressive strength of 43.43 MPa was achieved with an activator Ms of 1.4, N/B of 10 %, w/b of 0.33, GFP with a D90 of 170 mesh, and an initial 24 h curing temperature of 60 °C. The results of this study can promote the utilization of waste wind blades in the production of sustainable building materials.

Informative design exploration of tower building geometry typology and solar potential using SOM-MLPNN with generalized form-description-based parametric modelling

To synchronize designers early in the design process and help them understand the building forms and performance metrics needed to meet both qualitative and quantitative requirements is crucial for sustainable building designs. While the prevalent design exploration technique, which integrates self-organizing mapping with a Supervised Learning-based Agent Model (SOM-MLPNN), offers insights into design geometry and solar potential, it still has limitations in the range of the design exploration space, the efficiency and accuracy of data approximation, and the uncertainty in dealing with performance metrics related to more complex environmental factors. Using the solar potential of tower buildings as an example, this study proposes a method based on SOM-MLPNN by integrating a Generalized Tower Generator (GTG) and form description, testing its usability for the inclusion of complex surrounding environments, and improving its design exploration breadth as well as the efficiency and accuracy of data approximations. The results demonstrate improved efficiency and accuracy in data approximation across an expansive design space, facilitating visual and interactive exploration of design-performance relationships. The proposed method emphasizes the critical interplay between building geometry and environment-related performance, providing designers with a refined toolkit for discerning the correlation between design and performance, thereby enhancing their design decision-making abilities.

Advancing Sustainable Building Materials: Reducing Formaldehyde Emissions in Medium Density Fiber Boards with Lignin Nanoparticles

Advancing Sustainable Building Materials: Reducing Formaldehyde Emissions in Medium Density Fiber Boards with Lignin Nanoparticles

BIM Integration with XAI Using LIME and MOO for Automated Green Building Energy Performance Analysis

Achieving sustainable green building design is essential to reducing our environmental impact and enhancing energy efficiency. Traditional methods often depend heavily on expert knowledge and subjective decisions, posing significant challenges. This research addresses these issues by introducing an innovative framework that integrates building information modeling (BIM), explainable artificial intelligence (AI), and multi-objective optimization. The framework includes three main components: data generation through DesignBuilder simulation, a BO-LGBM (Bayesian optimization–LightGBM) predictive model with LIME (Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations) for energy prediction and interpretation, and the multi-objective optimization technique AGE-MOEA to address uncertainties. A case study demonstrates the framework’s effectiveness, with the BO-LGBM model achieving high prediction accuracy (R-squared > 93.4%, MAPE < 2.13%) and LIME identifying significant HVAC system features. The AGE-MOEA optimization resulted in a 13.43% improvement in energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and thermal comfort, with an additional 4.0% optimization gain when incorporating uncertainties. This study enhances the transparency of machine learning predictions and efficiently identifies optimal passive and active design solutions, contributing significantly to sustainable construction practices. Future research should focus on validating its real-world applicability, assessing its generalizability across various building types, and integrating generative design capabilities for automated optimization.

Synthesis and Characterization of Furan-Based Methacrylate Oligomers Containing the Imine Functional Group for Stereolithography.

Herein, a furan-based methacrylate oligomer (FBMO) featuring imine functional groups was synthesized for application in stereolithography. The preparation involved the imination reaction of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) and amino ethanol. Utilizing 5-HMF as a sustainable building block for furan-based polymers, FBMO was formulated and subsequently integrated into photosensitive resin formulations along with methacrylate-containing diluents, such as PEGDMA and TEGDMA. The synthesized furan-based methacrylate oligomers underwent comprehensive characterization using FTIR, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and size exclusion chromatography. The impact of methacrylate-containing diluents on various properties of the formulated resins and the resulting 3D-printed specimens was systematically evaluated. This assessment included an analysis of rheological behavior, printing fidelity, mechanical properties, thermal stability, surface morphology, and cytotoxicity. By adjusting the ratios of FBMO to methacrylate-containing diluents within the range of 50:50 to 90:10, the viscosity of the resulting resins was controlled to fall within 0.04 to 0.28 Pa s at a shear rate of 10 s-1. The 3D-printed specimens exhibited precise conformity to the computer-aided design (CAD) model and demonstrated compressive moduli ranging from 0.53 ± 0.04 to 144 ± 6.70 MPa, dependent on the resin formulation and internal structure. Furthermore, cytotoxicity assessments revealed that the 3D-printed specimens were noncytotoxic to porcine chondrocytes. In conclusion, we introduce a new strategy to prepare the furan-based methacrylate oligomer (FBMO) and 3D-printed specimens with adjustable properties using stereolithography, which can be further utilized for appropriate applications.

Ontology-Based Data Representation Prototype for Indoor Air Quality, Building Energy Performance, and Health Data Computation

This study investigates the data integration of IoT-enabled sensor networks, emphasizing energy performance and personalized indoor air quality (IAQ) solutions to improve indoor environments, energy efficiency, and sustainability. Ontologies—structured frameworks that standardize data representation and enable interoperability—are the tools for interpreting complex IAQ data for optimal energy rate plans and health situations. Our methodology follows the well-established three-phase engineering approach. We present the design of a prototype with essential classes, which is proposed to integrate IAQ data with health conditions, enhancing real-time monitoring and automated decision making for optimal energy performance for smart buildings. Our research goal is to define the most essential classes, arranging them hierarchically to create a prototype for data computing covering IAQ, energy performance, and health aspects. This ontological framework, covering all three aspects, addresses a current research gap. Results demonstrate the minimum viable product with 78 classes for a smart home IoT system, providing tailored indoor climate control based on user health profiles and energy performance. This prototype represents a significant advancement in sustainable building and IAQ management, promising improved building energy performance, occupant health, and comfort. Future research will validate this framework through extensive testing in real-world environments.

A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR IN TURKEY IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABILITY

The construction sector is of critical importance for economic growth and employment creation. However, it also has significant environmental impacts, including high energy consumption, extensive use of natural resources, and substantial waste production. Currently, the construction sector in Turkey accounts for 35% of the country’s total energy consumption, making it a significant energy consumer. Research conducted in European Union countries indicates that buildings are responsible for 40% of total energy consumption and 36% of total CO2 emissions. It is believed that a similar situation exists in Turkey. Furthermore, the long lifespan of structures built in the sector is of great importance for sustainability. The contribution of poor-quality and unhealthy structures to environmental stress further highlights the role of the construction sector in sustainability. The study addresses the impacts of strategic goals such as the design and construction of sustainable building models, the recyclability and reuse of building materials, energy efficiency, and the reduction of CO2 emissions on the construction sector. The findings indicate that the integration of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies is crucial for the Turkish construction sector to move towards a sustainable future. In this context, it is recommended that the Turkish construction sector implement the necessary steps and engage in strategic planning in order to achieve its sustainability goals. The findings of the study emphasise the pivotal role and significance of the construction sector in this regard.

Indoor environmental quality in WELL-certified and LEED-certified buildings

International building certification systems, such as the WELL and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, play a pivotal role in the design of healthy and sustainable buildings. While LEED adopts a holistic approach to designing healthy and sustainable buildings, the WELL standard has a strong emphasis on human health, comfort, and well-being. Although prior research has revealed inconsistent results for occupant satisfaction in office buildings with WELL certification compared to buildings without WELL certification, or are certified using another certification system (e.g., LEED), most of these comparisons tend to lack methodological rigor. This study used a statistical procedure to match and compare 1634 occupant surveys from LEED-certified buildings to 1634 surveys from WELL-certified buildings. Six important architectural and experiential parameters were matched, masking their influence on the outcome. Overall building and workspace satisfaction was high in both WELL-certified buildings (94% and 87%) and LEED-certified (73% and 71%). We found that there is a 39% higher probability of finding occupants who are more satisfied in WELL-certified buildings compared to LEED-certified buildings, indicating occupant satisfaction is higher in buildings with WELL certification. Although we were unable to pinpoint the reason for higher occupant satisfaction in WELL-certified buildings, the results consistently showed that perceived indoor environmental quality was enhanced across all parameters except for the amount of space.

Multiscale optimization analysis of high strength alkali-activated concrete containing waste medical glass under exposure to carbonation and elevated temperatures

This study focused on optimizing the effect of recycled medical glass (RMG) on the performance of high-strength alkali-activated concrete (AAC) at different scales. RMG was incorporated into the AACs to substitute a portion of the precursor, followed by the addition of fine and coarse RMG to replace a portion of the fine and coarse river sand, respectively. Thus, the effects of these variables on compressive strength, splitting strength, and water absorption using the simplex centroid design method were examined. Additionally, freezing-thawing, carbonation resistance, and residual strength at elevated temperatures of AACs were investigated. The experimental results showed that AACs had compressive strengths between 46.8 and 102.0 MPa, tensile strengths between 6.20 and 13.60 MPa, and water absorption between 2.93 and 4.82%. The optimized AACs showed a significant increment in residual strength at high temperatures as compared to the control mixture. The AAC with RMG may provide a compact microstructure with low porosity to enhance carbonation and freeze-thaw resistance. Finally, the outcomes of the ecological evaluation support the usage of RMG in high strength AAC as a sustainable building and construction material.

Multi-Scale Study of a Phase Change Material on a Tropical Island for Evaluating Its Impact on Human Comfort in the Building Sector.

Our study explores the utilization of a phase change material (PCM) to optimize energy efficiency and thermal comfort in buildings in tropical climates. Employing a comprehensive multi-scale approach, this research encompasses both microscopic and macroscopic analyses to rigorously evaluate the PCM's performance under various environmental conditions. It evaluates the effect of PCMs on ambient conditions in the face of temperature variations and high humidity, utilizing experimental methods at different scales (microscopic and macroscopic). Microscopic analyses reveal the composite structure of the PCM, consisting of microencapsulated paraffin within a cellulose fiber matrix. At a macroscopic scale, experiments using two real-scale test cells evaluated thermal performance and its influence on thermal comfort. Temperature and humidity data were meticulously collected over an extended period to assess the PCM's impact on indoor regulation. We employed type T thermocouples and flux meters to monitor thermal dynamics and energy flux across the building walls. This setup facilitated a detailed comparison of temperature variations and thermal comfort metrics between the PCM-equipped test cell and a control cell. The results indicate a seasonal duality of the PCM: beneficial in winter for thermal regulation but problematic in summer due to excessive heat retention. The conclusions highlight the importance of carefully selecting and adapting PCMs for tropical climates, thus providing valuable insights for designing sustainable buildings in regions facing similar climatic challenges.

Building sustainability index for Dubai electricity and water authority

Building sustainability index for Dubai electricity and water authority

The development of a sustainable climate resilience building framework for Southern Zimbabwe

Resilience building has increasingly been embraced as a framework for managing climate change and variability induced disaster. The study sought to develop a Sustainable Climate Resilience Building framework for managing climate change adversities in Mwenezi District of Southern Zimbabwe. A mixed method approach which utilized both qualitative and quantitative techniques was used. The choice of two approaches was based on a phenomenological constructivist belief that problems are best solved using multiple sources. The qualitative approach depended on questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions and direct field observations. The quantitative approach depended on closed ended questions and use of statistical package for social scientists (SPSS version 25.0) for data analysis. Qualitative data was subjected to content analysis. The findings obtained revealed that Non-Governmental Organizations and Government Departments have collaborated and initiated resilience interventions to manage climate change impacts. Some of the interventions implemented can be categorized as crop production and livestock production interventions. However there are some challenges obtained hindering communities’ capacity to build resilience these are namely, ignorance, lack of technical know-how and lack of financial resources to buy resilient inputs on the side of communities. Based on the findings, a Sustainable Climate Resilience Building framework was developed to manage climate change adversities. The researchers recommend communities to adopt a Sustainable Climate Resilience Building framework. This is because the framework provides a pathway for building community resilience to effectively manage climate change adversities.

Complex artificial intelligence models for energy sustainability in educational buildings

Energy consumption of constructed educational facilities significantly impacts economic, social and environment sustainable development. It contributes to approximately 37% of the carbon dioxide emissions associated with energy use and procedures. This paper aims to introduce a study that investigates several artificial intelligence-based models to predict the energy consumption of the most important educational buildings; schools. These models include decision trees, K-nearest neighbors, gradient boosting, and long-term memory networks. The research also investigates the relationship between the input parameters and the yearly energy usage of educational buildings. It has been discovered that the school sizes and AC capacities are the most impact variable associated with higher energy consumption. While 'Type of School' is less direct or weaker correlation with 'Annual Consumption'. The four developed models were evaluated and compared in training and testing stages. The Decision Tree model demonstrates strong performance on the training data with an average prediction error of about 3.58%. The K-Nearest Neighbors model has significantly higher errors, with RMSE on training data as high as 38,429.4, which may be indicative of overfitting. In contrast, Gradient Boosting can almost perfectly predict the variations within the training dataset. The performance metrics suggest that some models manage this variability better than others, with Gradient Boosting and LSTM standing out in terms of their ability to handle diverse data ranges, from the minimum consumption of approximately 99,274.95 to the maximum of 683,191.8. This research underscores the importance of sustainable educational buildings not only as physical learning spaces but also as dynamic environments that contribute to informal educational processes. Sustainable buildings serve as real-world examples of environmental stewardship, teaching students about energy efficiency and sustainability through their design and operation. By incorporating advanced AI-driven tools to optimize energy consumption, educational facilities can become interactive learning hubs that encourage students to engage with concepts of sustainability in their everyday surroundings.

Building sustainability assessment: A comparison between ITACA, DGNB, HQE and SBTool alignment with the European Green Deal

The environmental impact of the construction industry is very heavy. Therefore, the global community is further developing green building assessment tools in order to enhance their efficiency in matching sustainability goals and being more environmentally friendly. An analysis approach by means of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) was carried out to examine the degree of response of different green building tools utilized in Europe, namely (Innovazione e Trasparenza degli Appalti e la Compatibilità Ambientale ITACA, Deutsches Guetsiegel Nachhaltiges Bauen (DGNB), Haute Qualité Environnementale (HQE) and Sustainable Building Tool (SBTool), to the eight criteria of the European Green Deal (EGD), a roadmap elaborated by the European Commission to enhance sustainability deployment in the region. The first phase of the analysis consisted of a Boolean MCDM aiming to define to which criterion of the EGD each indicator in the tools checklists is linked. These data obtained were later examined by means of Fuzzy Logic to obtain comparable results showing how much each tool helps more following the European roadmap towards sustainability. This work intends to compare the efficiency of the most used tools in Europe for building sustainability evaluation while being based on a particular specified reference and not only the sustainable goals in general. This work also shows the efficiency of combining two MCDCM techniques to obtain better analyzing output. The result of this study shows that the DGNB is the most effective method for connecting all EGD criteria in a balanced manner. The HQE tool demonstrated a strong ability to effectively integrate the objectives of the EGD, except for the energy evaluation aspect. For the ITACA tool, it closely aligned DGNB in its response to the EGD, although it had an absent focus on the smart and sustainable shift of mobility. SBTool demonstrated average performance when compared to other protocols. This was expected since SBTool was the basis on which ITACA, DGNB, and HQE were constructed.

FEASIBILITY STUDY OF RETROFITTING ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE MULTI-STOREY RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS: A CASE STUDY OF CHINA

The construction industry is one of the primary sources of carbon emissions. In the context of the global response to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the impacts of climate change,China implements the Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutralisation policy. The policy vigorously promotes energy conservation and emission reduction in the construction industry, particularly housing. Due to the large stock of existing old multi-storey residential buildings in China, most of which are not energy-saving, and the lack of a sustainable assessment framework to retrofit such buildings, it is deemed essential to analyse the shortcomings of the current assessment standards and frameworks and formulate a better alternative. Therefore, this paper aims to provide the rationale for proposing a sustainability assessment framework for retrofitting old multi-storey residential buildings in China. It first explains the concepts of sustainable development and housing, then combs the current Chinese government’s commitments to sustainable housing agenda. The unsustainable state of this housing type is then reviewed, followed by the issues and gaps in the existing sustainable building assessment standards in China and overseas to justify the necessity of developing a sustainability assessment framework for retrofitting multistorey residential buildings in China. This framework would assist the retrofit of old multistorey residential buildings in reducing energy consumption, improving efficiency and achieving sustainable development. It also contributes to the body of knowledge in sustainable building assessments and helps in the planning and design processes within the public and private sectors related to the construction industry.