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This reprint aims to address the challenges modern-day buildings face in the context of high energy and resource consumption and climate change. One of the ways to address the issues is holistic design and operation of high-performance buildings in the area of energy efficiency, occupant health, and comfort. All this should be achieved through synergic interconnectedness between parameters such as the indoor–outdoor environment, sustainability, and resilience. Through different chapters, this reprint highlights the key areas, namely, the optimization of building design parameters, the impact of the use of modern-day phase-change materials, the adaptation of occupants and buildings to climate change, the mitigation of urban overheating by cool roofs, and reducing energy demand and CO2 emissions.

Technology: general issues --- History of engineering & technology --- climate change --- bioclimatic design --- passive design --- energy efficiency --- overheating --- building resilience --- robustness --- shape factor --- building --- thermal envelope --- energy demand --- CO2 emissions --- white roofs --- cool roofs --- reflective material --- cost-benefit --- energy savings --- urban heat island --- thermal comfort --- indoor environmental quality --- educational buildings --- energy consumptions --- local discomfort --- building energy retrofitting --- phase change materials --- aerogel render --- heat stress risk --- emission --- lifecycle cost --- peak cooling load --- residential building --- building envelope --- multi-objective genetic algorithm --- TRNSYS --- climate zone --- multi-criteria decision making --- CRITIC --- TOPSIS --- capture devices --- variables --- field surveys --- thermal perceptions --- adaptive actions --- hostel dormitories --- composite climate of India --- reflective materials --- mitigation --- outdoor comfort --- visual comfort --- heat stress --- optimization --- skyscrapers

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In recent months, we have suffered the effects of an unexpected global health crisis that has led to an even worse global economic crisis, with GDPs plummeting to unprecedented levels. While our health workers struggle to find a vaccine to protect our health, we have had to live through situations hitherto unimagined, and we have spent even more time in our homes while our streets remained empty, which has brought to light the weaknesses and strengths of our system and our way of building and designing. Our aim is to publish research projects and papers that contribute to reactivate the Construction Sector from within, in the context of this world economic crisis. Such an effort will focus especially on solutions that improve the quality of indoor air in buildings, strengthening the circular economy in an eco-efficient rehabilitation of buildings and neighborhoods in our cities.

patrimony --- tower --- buildings rehabilitation --- eco-sustainable --- sustainable --- town planning --- resource efficiency --- eco-efficient construction solutions --- environmental --- green public procurement --- renovation --- construction --- energy --- circular economy --- innovation --- green --- urban regeneration --- roof refurbishment --- energy performance --- sustainable development goals --- urban design --- neighborhood regeneration --- competition --- architectural education --- indoor environmental quality --- health --- accessibility 2 --- housing typology 3 --- COVID-19 4 --- social isolation 5 --- regulations 6 --- architectural barriers --- energy poverty --- climate change --- life-cycle analysis --- direct and indirect energy --- bill of quantities --- urban realm --- accessibility --- social inclusion --- active aging --- social services --- heritage regeneration --- water mills --- sustainable prefabrication --- local industry --- housing --- optimization --- cool roof --- thermal insulation --- aging effect --- social housing --- life-cycle cost analysis --- city --- indicators --- social gap --- pandemic --- n/a

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In recent years, the building sector has been turning towards intervening in the existing city building stock. In fact, it is generally accepted that the refurbishment of buildings and urban regeneration based on sustainability must form the axis of reformulation of the building sector. At present, achieving sustainable urban development inevitably involves improving existing buildings, thereby preventing the need for city growth, and for the emptying of established neighborhoods. Furthermore, considering the whole life cycle, the great amount of greenhouse emissions derived from the construction sector is well known; thus, in order to reach a decarbonized society, it is important to provide eco-efficient construction materials and solutions, adding the principles of the circular economy and resource efficiency. Therefore, the theme of this Special Issue is the “Decarbonization and Circular Economy in the Sustainable Development and Renovation of Buildings and Neighborhoods” in response to the objectives not only raised in the Horizon 2020 but by all the people who seek a more sustainable world. This Special Issue of Sustainability focuses on, but is not limited to: • Obtaining an overview of the environmental problems that arise from construction activity, focusing on refurbishment as an alternative to the current crisis in the construction sector, as well as on actions designed to minimize environmental effects on the environment; • Searching for new alternatives to conventional construction solutions that minimize the environmental impact of the construction activity, improve indoor environmental quality of buildings, build or refurbish, always from a rentable and optimal cost in time, and implement a circular economy and an efficient resource and waste management; • Minimizing the consumption of material resources, energy consumption and CO2 emissions in construction and looking for the proper management of construction and demolition waste and the opportunities for their recycling and reuse; • Sustainable planning and urban development, for an ordered and sustainable growth.

History of engineering & technology --- vegetal waste --- shredded corn cobs --- sunflower stalks --- green concrete --- mineral wool --- cement mortar --- recycling --- circular economy --- construction and demolition waste --- CO2 emissions --- disaggregated model --- dust --- noise and vibration emission --- environmental impact studies --- foundations and structures --- sustainability --- transportation --- social housing --- major renovation --- nZEB renovation --- cultural value --- condominium --- cool roof --- energy efficiency --- energy saving --- dynamic numerical method --- life cycle assessment --- disinvestment --- popular housing --- rehabilitation works --- sustainable construction --- waste management --- selective demolition --- waste quantification --- nearly zero-energy building --- End-of-Life Cost --- hospitality --- hotels --- sustainable assessment --- BREEAM methodology --- green hotel --- carbon footprint --- assessment tool --- dwelling construction --- cost control --- direct evaporative cooling --- new pad materials --- wet fabric --- saturation efficiency --- pressure drop --- citizen participation --- resilience --- urban regeneration --- bioclimatic refurbishment --- sustainable city --- Seville --- guide --- decarbonisation --- construction --- Circular Design --- circular technologies --- reversibility --- durability --- circular potential --- indicators --- service life --- closed material loops --- decarbonization of construction sector --- refurbishment of buildings --- neighbourhood regeneration --- eco-efficient construction solutions --- construction and waste management --- indoor environmental quality --- resource efficiency

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The book Smart Cities and Positive Energy Districts: Urban Perspectives in 2020 is the second book published by MDPI on the topic. It highlights the most recent internationally/nationally funded projects on Smart Cities and Positive Energy Districts, providing readers with an overview of the most recent and effective solutions to support the transition of urban areas towards climate neutrality as well as inspiring solutions not only for researchers but for local governments who seek to transform urban areas into sustainable places.

Research & information: general --- Physics --- building dynamics --- occupants’ comfort --- energy efficiency --- information and communication technologies --- COVID-19 scenario --- human interaction --- Positive Energy District --- smart districts --- building performance simulation --- sustainable large-scale renovation model --- Driving Urban Transition --- Renovation Wave --- neighbourhoods --- positive energy districts --- sustainable urban areas --- energy production --- energy flexibility --- economic costs --- indoor environmental quality --- social performance --- Positive Energy Districts --- urban typology --- energy modelling --- energy and climate goals --- sustainable urban development --- energy sufficiency --- deep energy retrofit --- building thermal mass --- positive energy district --- yearly energy balance --- seasonal energy balance --- residential buildings --- district heating --- renewable energy resources --- PED boundary --- multi-criteria decision analyses --- geographic information systems --- GIS overlay analyses --- positive energy district (PED) --- enabling solution for PED transition --- energy efficiency in buildings and real estate --- n/a --- occupants' comfort

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• Reference Manager
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In recent years, the building sector has been turning towards intervening in the existing city building stock. In fact, it is generally accepted that the refurbishment of buildings and urban regeneration based on sustainability must form the axis of reformulation of the building sector. At present, achieving sustainable urban development inevitably involves improving existing buildings, thereby preventing the need for city growth, and for the emptying of established neighborhoods. Furthermore, considering the whole life cycle, the great amount of greenhouse emissions derived from the construction sector is well known; thus, in order to reach a decarbonized society, it is important to provide eco-efficient construction materials and solutions, adding the principles of the circular economy and resource efficiency. Therefore, the theme of this Special Issue is the “Decarbonization and Circular Economy in the Sustainable Development and Renovation of Buildings and Neighborhoods” in response to the objectives not only raised in the Horizon 2020 but by all the people who seek a more sustainable world. This Special Issue of Sustainability focuses on, but is not limited to: • Obtaining an overview of the environmental problems that arise from construction activity, focusing on refurbishment as an alternative to the current crisis in the construction sector, as well as on actions designed to minimize environmental effects on the environment; • Searching for new alternatives to conventional construction solutions that minimize the environmental impact of the construction activity, improve indoor environmental quality of buildings, build or refurbish, always from a rentable and optimal cost in time, and implement a circular economy and an efficient resource and waste management; • Minimizing the consumption of material resources, energy consumption and CO2 emissions in construction and looking for the proper management of construction and demolition waste and the opportunities for their recycling and reuse; • Sustainable planning and urban development, for an ordered and sustainable growth.

History of engineering & technology --- vegetal waste --- shredded corn cobs --- sunflower stalks --- green concrete --- mineral wool --- cement mortar --- recycling --- circular economy --- construction and demolition waste --- CO2 emissions --- disaggregated model --- dust --- noise and vibration emission --- environmental impact studies --- foundations and structures --- sustainability --- transportation --- social housing --- major renovation --- nZEB renovation --- cultural value --- condominium --- cool roof --- energy efficiency --- energy saving --- dynamic numerical method --- life cycle assessment --- disinvestment --- popular housing --- rehabilitation works --- sustainable construction --- waste management --- selective demolition --- waste quantification --- nearly zero-energy building --- End-of-Life Cost --- hospitality --- hotels --- sustainable assessment --- BREEAM methodology --- green hotel --- carbon footprint --- assessment tool --- dwelling construction --- cost control --- direct evaporative cooling --- new pad materials --- wet fabric --- saturation efficiency --- pressure drop --- citizen participation --- resilience --- urban regeneration --- bioclimatic refurbishment --- sustainable city --- Seville --- guide --- decarbonisation --- construction --- Circular Design --- circular technologies --- reversibility --- durability --- circular potential --- indicators --- service life --- closed material loops --- decarbonization of construction sector --- refurbishment of buildings --- neighbourhood regeneration --- eco-efficient construction solutions --- construction and waste management --- indoor environmental quality --- resource efficiency