Research Challenges and Advancements in the field of Sustainable Energy Technologies in the Built Environment

Abstract

Inevitably, the 21st century has initiated a series of developments in the construction industry, leading to its digitalization and resulting in a series of innovative approaches and practices. At the same time, the construction industry, being one of the main global environment polluters, should fulfil well-established, as well as novel, sustainability requirements in order to evolve in harmony with the rising concerns on the availability of natural resources. This overview study aims to present the main developments, research, and scientific challenges in the field of sustainable construction, emphasizing the field of energy. The study aims to present a state-of-the-art scientific discussion on the sustainable built environment topic by analyzing cutting edge topics in the fields of building elements and whole building energy assessment, of indoor air quality and low carbon buildings, as well as on sustainable energy systems and smart buildings. The study also presents the state-of-the-art in existing tools which are adopted for the assessment of the sustainable built environment, including the use of digital tools and building information modelling for the energy assessment of the built environment, as well as the application of Life Cycle Assessment on building-related processes. Cross cutting issues related to the analysis of the building sector in the Industry 4.0 era, such as sustainability management topics and environmental geomatics are also discussed. The study concludes in those fields which will be of interest of the scientific community in the following years, towards achieving the goals of the sustainable development of the building sector.

Incorporating Virtual Reality Technology in Safety Training Solution for Construction Site of Urban Cities

“…Fewer workers getting hurt during construction projects can improve working efficiency and facilitate engagement, resulting in more sustainable workplaces. The escalation of digitalized innovative approaches and practices is crucial for sustainable construction [36]. As a state-of-the-art technology, virtual reality provides a scalable and extensible platform that sheds light on the development of the future of the construction industries.…”

Life Cycle Assessment Model of Plastic Products: Comparing Environmental Impacts for Different Scenarios in the Production Stage

“…The aim of the life cycle assessment is to find the optimal process conditions, which will lead to a reduction in the consumption of natural resources [ 31 ]. LCA phases include goal and scope definition, life cycle inventory, environmental impact assessment, and interpretation of the results [ 28 , 31 ]. The life cycle impact assessment method can be used to determine the relative risk of emissions from the system under study to humans or the environment.…”

“…The life cycle impact assessment method can be used to determine the relative risk of emissions from the system under study to humans or the environment. The Energy and Climate Policy Framework for 2030 established ambitious commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 [ 31 , 32 ]. There are many aspects of ISO 14040 standards for the design and implementation of life cycle assessment [ 28 , 33 ].…”

Fique as a Sustainable Material and Thermal Insulation for Buildings: Study of Its Decomposition and Thermal Conductivity

“…Fique is a crop of great importance for Colombia, which is the world's main producer, and the livelihoods of more than 70,000 Colombian families depend on its production [26]. In the country, the plant's fibers are widely available throughout the year [27], making it ideal for uses beyond the manufacture of ropes and garments in order to contribute to our knowledge of the properties of fique as a thermal insulator and provide a more holistic overview of the environmental impact during the whole specific life cycle phase [28,29], from raw material extraction to end of life stages; hence enabling justified decisions on the suitability of using fique fibers in thermal insulation [30]. This paper reports the measurement of its thermal conductivity, by means of the guarded hot plate method (ASTM C 177), and a study of its thermal decomposition by means of the analysis of thermogravimetric data using the Coats-Redfern method.…”