Buildings' Thermal Performance and Energy Efficiency for a Sustainable Construction

This Reprint, Buildings' Thermal Performance and Energy Efficiency for a Sustainable Construction, addresses one of the most pressing challenges of our time: reducing the energy consumption and carbon emissions of the building sector while ensuring human comfort and resilience. Buildings account for a large share of global energy use, and their thermal performance plays a central role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. This Reprint brings together original research and reviews that explore the interplay between microclimatic conditions, building design, and energy-saving technologies. These contributions span a wide spectrum, including microclimatic evaluations of elevated open spaces, optimization of settlement layouts in cold climates, innovative façade strategies for outdoor comfort, and quantitative assessments of low-carbon technologies in urban environments. Further studies analyze solar-shading indicators, architectural morphology for ventilation efficiency, and the coordination between land urbanization, energy use, and carbon emissions. Finally, a user-centered approach highlights how participatory design can enhance age-friendly and socially sustainable public spaces. Collectively, these works demonstrate the importance of integrating thermal comfort, energy efficiency, and environmental adaptation in sustainable construction, serving as a valuable reference for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers seeking innovative strategies to foster climate-resilient and human-centered built environments.