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Sustainability in Construction: Techniques, Management and Life Cycle
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Sustainability in Construction: Techniques, Management and Life Cycle

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: closed (15 September 2023) | Viewed by 12287

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Javier Cárcel-Carrasco

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Materials Technology, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Interests: circular economy; maintenance engineering; distributed energy resources and hybrid renewable systems; energy efficiency; energy sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Aurora Martínez-Corral

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Architectural Constructions, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Interests: circular economy; maintenance engineering; distributed energy resources and hybrid renewable systems; energy efficiency; energy sustainability; construction and demolition waste management
Prof. Dr. Luis Palmero-Iglesias

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Architectural Constructions, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Interests: circular economy; maintenance engineering; distributed energy resources and hybrid renewable systems; energy efficiency; energy sustainability; construction and demolition waste management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to invite you to contribute to a Special Issue of the open-access journal Buildings, which will be dedicated to “Sustainability in Construction: Techniques, Management and Life Cycle”. This Special Issue will invite the best papers presented at the International Conference on Sustainable Construction and Demolition (SCD) (https://scd.congresos.upv.es/), aiming to bring together international institutions, researchers, professionals, and students to exchange their knowledge and experiences. Contributions will be related to sustainability in the construction industry during the entire lifecycle process: from project design to the demolition, reuse and recycling of waste, in the context of the global environment and a circular economy.

This international challenge is key to promoting the ecological use of materials, the rational use of energy with renewable systems and energy-efficient buildings, the dismantling and recycling processes, and the management of waste generated in all these activities.

Sustainability has been crossing boundaries in all areas of human activities and development. Without losing sight of the three basic pillars (environment, economy, and social equity), we have divided this first conference into three large blocks focused on construction activity.

The conference is divided into three main categories, to discuss as thoroughly as possible the concepts of sustainable construction and demolition; the three areas include different strategies related to the different fields of study (https://scd.congresos.upv.es/tematica/).

THEMATIC AREA I

Construction and sustainable rehabilitation.

THEMATIC AREA II

Building technology, buildings with zero energy consumption, and the application of efficient renewable energies.

THEMATIC AREA III

Management in demolition, agents involved, life cycle, and reuse.

Prof. Dr. Javier Cárcel-Carrasco
Prof. Dr. Aurora Martínez-Corral
Prof. Dr. Luis Palmero-Iglesias
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 monthly 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.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2227 KiB  
Article
The Embodied Life Cycle Global Warming Potential of Off-Site Prefabricated Concrete Products: Precast Concrete and Concrete Pile Production in Korea
by Hyunsik Kim, Jeonghwan Kim and Seungjun Roh
Buildings 2023, 13(10), 2590; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13102590 - 13 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 620
Abstract
The impacts of concrete on global warming through its use in structures such as buildings and infrastructure must be identified and better understood, as concrete is known to have a very high global warming potential (GWP). However, in contrast with ordinary on-site constructed [...] Read more.
The impacts of concrete on global warming through its use in structures such as buildings and infrastructure must be identified and better understood, as concrete is known to have a very high global warming potential (GWP). However, in contrast with ordinary on-site constructed reinforced concrete, GWPs of off-site factory-made prefabricated concrete products such as precast concrete (PC) and concrete piles that are widely used in construction are rarely evaluated, owing to the complicated manufacturing processes that make the determination of greenhouse gas emission difficult. In this study, the embodied life cycle GWPs were derived for PC and pretensioned spun high-strength concrete (PHC) piles to enable precise assessment of the global warming impact of concrete structures and the concrete industry of Korea. The determined embodied GWPs of PC and PHC piles were 1.77 × 10−1 kg CO2 eq/kg and 1.87 × 10−1 kg CO2 eq/kg, respectively. As a result, both prefabricated concrete products were determined to have high GWP due to input materials, such as cement rebars, while the GWP contributions of the off-site prefabrication processes were low. Moreover, the embodied GWPs of both prefabricated concrete products were significantly higher than those of ordinary reinforced concrete, and the impact of both products on global warming was found to be approximately 4% of the impact of the Korean concrete industry. This indicates that it is necessary to consider the impacts of the PHC pile and PC industries when assessing the impacts of greenhouse gas occurring in the concrete industry at the national level. It is expected that these findings will be widely used to obtain a more accurate assessment of the impact of concrete structures and industry on global warming. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Construction: Techniques, Management and Life Cycle)
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19 pages, 10215 KiB  
Article
Composite Cements Using Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag, Fly Ash, and Geothermal Silica with Alkali Activation
by Andres Salas Montoya, Loth I. Rodríguez-Barboza, Fabiola Colmenero Fonseca, Javier Cárcel-Carrasco and Lauren Y. Gómez-Zamorano
Buildings 2023, 13(7), 1854; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13071854 - 21 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 918
Abstract
In recent decades, alkali activated and blended cements have attracted great interest worldwide due to their advantages of low energy cost, high strength, and good durability. This study evaluated the effects of replacing 50% of Portland cement with a mixture of three waste [...] Read more.
In recent decades, alkali activated and blended cements have attracted great interest worldwide due to their advantages of low energy cost, high strength, and good durability. This study evaluated the effects of replacing 50% of Portland cement with a mixture of three waste materials: ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), fly ash (FA), and geothermal waste (GS), with and without external alkaline activation, and activated with different alkali agents: 4 and 7% Na2O equivalent of sodium hydroxide, sodium silicate (water glass), and sodium sulfate. After 90 days of curing, samples were characterized using compressive strength tests, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analyses. The results showed that sodium hydroxide caused an alkali–silica reaction and reduced the strength, while sodium silicate and sodium sulfate improved the strength and hydration products formation. Moreover, the addition of fly ash decreased the compressive strength but increased the workability, while the addition of slag and geothermal waste increased strength and densified the matrix with the formation of additional hydration products. The blended cements without activation also showed better performance than pure cement and a more compact matrix of hydration products. The study demonstrated the feasibility of using waste materials to produce blended cements with low energy costs and high durability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Construction: Techniques, Management and Life Cycle)
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29 pages, 3652 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Success of Industry 4.0 Digitalization Practices for Sustainable Construction Management: Chinese Construction Industry
by Muhammad Sajjad, Anfeng Hu, Ahsan Waqar, Ibrahim Idris Falqi, Saleh Hamed Alsulamy, Abdulrahman S. Bageis and Abdullah Mohammed Alshehri
Buildings 2023, 13(7), 1668; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13071668 - 29 Jun 2023
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 2911
Abstract
The potential of Industry 4.0 digitization practices to improve sustainability and enhance overall project performance has garnered significant attention in the construction industry. Nonetheless, there is a necessity for empirical investigations that delve into the particular factors and constructs that contribute to this [...] Read more.
The potential of Industry 4.0 digitization practices to improve sustainability and enhance overall project performance has garnered significant attention in the construction industry. Nonetheless, there is a necessity for empirical investigations that delve into the particular factors and constructs that contribute to this achievement. This research aims to address the existing gap in the literature by examining the favorable consequences of Industry 4.0 digitalization techniques in the context of sustainable construction management. The research utilized a mixed-methods methodology, integrating exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM), to examine survey data obtained from the construction sector in China. The survey questionnaire comprised constructs that pertained to sustainability, technology, design, functional aspects, resource management, and managerial efficiency. The concept of sustainability has been identified as the most significant factor in shaping sustainable construction practices. The findings presented herein contribute to the theoretical comprehension of the determinants that impact the execution of Industry 4.0 digitalization methodologies within the construction sector. The interrelated constructs that have been identified provide valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers seeking to utilize Industry 4.0 practices to achieve sustainability, enhance technology adoption, optimize design processes, streamline functional aspects, improve resource utilization, and increase managerial efficiency. Implementing these strategies can enhance project success and ensure long-term sustainability in the construction industry. This research adds to the expanding pool of information regarding the factors that lead to success in Industry 4.0 digitization practices within sustainable construction management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Construction: Techniques, Management and Life Cycle)
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18 pages, 833 KiB  
Article
Concomitant Impediments to the Social Acceptance of Sandbag Technology for Sustainable and Affordable Housing Delivery: The Case of South Africa
by Johnson Adetooto and Abimbola Windapo
Buildings 2022, 12(6), 859; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12060859 - 20 Jun 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3380
Abstract
There is a high level of homelessness in South Africa. Sandbag building technologies (SBTs) have been offered as economical and sustainable alternative building materials capable of speeding housing provision in South Africa. However, their degree of adoption in South Africa remains relatively low. [...] Read more.
There is a high level of homelessness in South Africa. Sandbag building technologies (SBTs) have been offered as economical and sustainable alternative building materials capable of speeding housing provision in South Africa. However, their degree of adoption in South Africa remains relatively low. Furthermore, limited research has examined the low adoption and social acceptance of SBTs, requiring thorough research. Therefore, this research investigates the key social barriers to accepting SBTs in housing provision. The study adopted a mixed method research approach that employs a comprehensive literature review in identifying 18 social barriers to using SBTs and a questionnaire survey of 228 building experts based in South Africa to obtain empirical data. The study findings indicated that the significant impediments were related to the lack of understanding of the benefits of sandbags, a lack of sandbag courses and training, and a lack of professional knowledge and skills, among others. A comparative analysis of the perceptions of the diverse categories of survey participants was conducted and discussed. This study’s evaluation of significant barriers offers government agencies and construction partners a framework to make realistic and well-informed decisions toward more sustainable and affordable housing delivery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Construction: Techniques, Management and Life Cycle)
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15 pages, 914 KiB  
Article
Moderating Effects of Internationalization between Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance: The Case of Construction Firms
by Meiyue Sang, Yuqing Zhang, Kunhui Ye and Weiyan Jiang
Buildings 2022, 12(2), 185; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12020185 - 06 Feb 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3497
Abstract
The relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate financial performance (CFP) has been crucial in academia and business circles. Numerous construction firms have continued to internationalize construction business over time despite the influence of the COVID-19. The internationalization of construction business makes [...] Read more.
The relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate financial performance (CFP) has been crucial in academia and business circles. Numerous construction firms have continued to internationalize construction business over time despite the influence of the COVID-19. The internationalization of construction business makes the CSR–CFP relationship more complicated than usual. Construction firms’ CSR fulfillment serves to engage in reliable relationships with stakeholders and consequently improve CFP. It can bring both benefits and costs to the firm, which suggests that the CSR–CFP relationship is non-linear. This study examines the impacts of CSR on the financial performance of construction firms. We took Chinese-listed construction companies as an example, and an inverted U-shaped curve relationship between CSR and CFP was eventually revealed. Further, the significant moderating role of the degree of corporate internationalization (DOI) in the CSR–CFP relationship is disclosed. The results show that matching a high DOI-high CSR and a low DOI-low CSR is more conducive to CFP promotion. Thus, this research makes contributions to the academic perception of the impacts of CSR and DOI on CFP and provides insights for CSR fulfillment in the international arena. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Construction: Techniques, Management and Life Cycle)
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