Paulo Santos

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Verified

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• PhD
• Professor (Associate) at University of Coimbra

Currently, energy and sustainability are two of the major concerns of mankind. Given the actual relevant energy consumption share of the building sector, innovative design solutions and optimal thermal performance of buildings are important for reducing energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions, while maintaining comfort of occupants. Additionally,...

We are delighted to invite you to contribute a research or review paper for this Collection on reducing the energy needs of buildings, improving building energy efficiency, and improving how energy is managed in buildings. The main topics are presented below: Solar and other renewable energy sources in buildings; Intelligent buildings; Data scienc...

This Topical Collection is dedicated to the analysis of recent advances on: (1) thermal performance of building’s elements (e.g. walls, floors, roofs, windows, doors, etc.); (2) energy efficiency in buildings; (3) sustainable construction. All types of research approaches are welcomed.

Examining the life cycle of structures, such as concrete dams, holds paramount importance for engineers, as it facilitates a comprehensive assessment of overall sustainability, enabling the balancing of the benefits and costs associated with dam development. The recycling of materials emerges as a crucial factor in mitigating environmental impacts....

The worldwide demand for gypsum resources is continuously growing due to its versatility in the building industry. In this context, incorporating recycled aggregates is gaining attention for enhancing the physico-mechanical properties of gypsum-based composites. Recycled rubber aggregates have stood out in recent decades as a common option in the d...

The Special Issue will include the following topics: Thermal behaviour improvement of a building's components (e.g., walls, floors, roofs, windows, doors, etc.); Thermal bridges assessment and mitigation; Energy efficiency in buildings; Thermal inertia increase techniques (e.g., use of PCMs - phase change materials); Building location and climate-a...

This Special Issue (SI) intends to collect and expand on research in the field of sustainable building materials, delving into their characteristics, advantages, and potential applications. Thus, this SI aims to provide researchers, architects, engineers, and construction professionals with a holistic understanding of the currently available innova...

The number of end-of-life tires (ELTs) has increased enormously in the world during the last decades, accumulating progressively in landfills and ecosystems. For this reason, the application of secondary raw materials derived from their recycling has become one of the great challenges for today’s society. In this work, different types of prefabrica...

In modern construction, increasing the sustainability of materials without sacrificing performance is crucial. Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) is known for its exceptional strength and durability. However, incorporating waste and optimizing the mix is still a key focus. The main goal of this article is to evaluate the enhancement of the mech...

The concepts of "modularity" and "prefabrication" require a deeper understanding being crucial to investigate their relation with the circular economy. Prefab-rication involves pre-manufacturing building elements off-site and their transport to the construction site and assembly. Prefabrication can be divided into different categories: Component, N...

The construction industry significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions, raw material extraction, and waste production. Implementing circular economy (CE) principles in this sector could greatly reduce these impacts. However, adoption within the industry remains slow due to barriers such as limited knowledge and experience. This chap...

Energy efficiency and waste management are crucial for sustainability of construction sector. In this research, a new gypsum composite material is presented in which traditional raw materials have been partially replaced by thermal insulation waste from facades energy retrofitting projects, using an innovative process to recover this waste. Consequ...

Buildings are one the largest energy-consuming sectors in the world, and it is crucial to find solutions to reduce their energy consumption. One way to evaluate these solutions is using building simulation software, which provides a comprehensive perspective. In this article, using DesignBuilder software (v 6.1), the effect of using phase-change ma...

The development of new environmentally friendly construction materials that incorporate waste as an alternative to traditional raw materials is becoming increasingly important and necessary for the construction sector. Gypsum plasters composites are characterised by their versatility and wide range of applications in precast construction due to the...

In recent decades, plastic waste management has become one of the main environmental challenges for today’s society. The excessive consumption of so-called single-use plastics causes continuous damage to ecosystems, and it is necessary to find alternatives to recycle these products. In this work, a mechanical and hygrothermal characterisation of no...

The European Green Deal establishes the efficient management of construction resources as one of its main lines of action. In this sense, the recovery of construction and demolition waste for its reincorporation into the manufacturing process of new sustainable materials has become necessary for the industry. This work deals with the physical and m...

Atualmente, a produção mundial de plástico ultrapassa os 368 milhões de toneladas, das quais cerca de 79% são eliminadas como resíduos, gerando um forte impacto ambiental. Mais especificamente, os chamados "plásticos de utilização única" representam cerca de 15-25% do volume total de resíduos sólidos urbanos na maioria dos países, tornando a sua re...

The accurate evaluation of the thermal performance of building envelope components (e.g., facade walls) is crucial for the reliable evaluation of their energy efficiency. There are several methods available to quantify their thermal resistance, such as analytical formulations (e.g., ISO 6946 simplified calculation method), numerical simulations (e....

This reprint of the Topical Collection: “Buildings' Thermal Behaviour and Energy Efficiency for a Sustainable Construction”, published in journal Buildings (mpdi), includes 22 contributions (19 articles, 1 review, 1 perspective and 1 systematic review), from across the world, with very interesting and actual research topics, such as: Energy Resilie...

The third volume of this Special Issue includes ten contributions (eight research and two review papers) from across the world, focused on very interesting research topics. These studies are as follows: Numerical Simulation and Experimental Validation of Thermal Break Strips’ Improvement in Facade LSF Walls; Embodied vs. Operational Energy and Carb...

At present, the development of new eco-friendly building materials for the production of lightweight partitions has become a challenge in order to advance towards the industrialization of the building sector. This work aims to design, characterize, and analyze the possibilities of applying innovative ecological gypsum composites lightened with hemp...

The incorporation of rubber recycled aggregates from end-of-life tyres (ELT) in the manufacturing process of sustainable building materials has gained great interest in recent decades as a result of the large volume of this waste being generated annually. In this work, the objective is to make a contribution towards the circularity of construction...

Building construction accounts for a significant proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions, raw material extraction, and waste production. Applying circular economy (CE) principles in the building construction industry would considerably reduce these values. However, uptake by the industry is relatively slow, which is largely attributed to sect...

According to the UN sustainable development goals, energy and waste management are two of the major concerns of humankind, these being related with the search for a more sustainable built environment. Innovative materials (e.g., recycled rubber-aerogel composite thermal insulation) and advanced construction systems, such as Lightweight Steel Framin...

Nowadays, sustainability and sustainable development are major concerns of humanity aiming to protect the Earth and ensure that all people live in peace and prosperity (United Nations, 2015b). As well known, a sustainable development shall balance environmental, economic and social aspects. However, unprecedented urban growth has occurred in the la...

Ensuring good indoor air quality in the spaces within educational centres is essential for the health and academic performance of students. In this sense, studying the evolution of health pollutants and their relationship with the environmental parameters of indoor humidity and temperature presents a challenge for the design of more efficient and c...

The main objective of this research is to determine the feasibility of using Low-Density Poly- ethylene (LDPE) waste as secondary raw material in the production of new eco-friendly gypsum composites. For this purpose, LDPE waste in crumb form has been incorporated as a partial replacement by weight of the plaster material powder at percentages of 1...

The reliable characterization of insulation materials in relevant environmental conditions is crucial, since it strongly influences the performance (e.g., thermal) of building elements. In fact, their properties may vary with the moisture content, temperature, ageing degradation, etc. Therefore, in this work, the thermomechanical behaviour of diffe...

En este trabajo, se midió la resistencia térmica global superficie-superficie (valor R) de diez configuraciones diferentes de tabiques interiores LSF en condiciones controladas de laboratorio. Las pruebas de laboratorio se llevaron a cabo utilizando un aparato de caja mini caliente con un conjunto de dos cámaras climáticas, siendo el rendimiento té...

Highlights Water-sourced heat pumps with hot and cold tanks or a connection to District Energy Systems may be the most economical solution. Concrete interior walls and floors may be the most ecological solution in many cases. Pandemics show that both the EU’s and the US’s ventilation strategies need to be modified. Monitoring using building automat...

The thermal performance of lightweight steel framed (LSF) facade walls depends on many factors, such as the steel studs, the batt insulation, the external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS), and the sheathing layers. Moreover, the high thermal conductivity of steel could negatively affect their thermal performance due to the consequent th...

Call for papers (special APC discounts are available).

The building sector is currently undergoing a process of change due to concerns about the sustainability of the construction industry. The application of circular economy criteria to develop new, more sustainable construction products has become one of the major challenges for the society of the future. This research advances towards the developmen...

Thermal bridges are a very relevant issue for lightweight steel-framed (LSF) construction systems given the high thermal conductivity of steel, which can negatively compromise their thermal behaviour, reduce their durability, and decrease the building energy efficiency. Several thermal bridge mitigation strategies exist, including the attachment of...

Hydrophobic rubber-silica aerogel panels (21.5 × 21.5 × 1.6 cm³) were fabricated from silica and rubber sols and reinforced with several fiber types (recycled tire textile fibers, polyester blanket, silica felt, glass wool). A recycled rubber sol was prepared using peracetic acid and incorporated for the first time in TEOS-based sol-gel chemistry....

Thermal bridges may have a significant prejudicial impact on the thermal behavior and energy efficiency of buildings. Given the high thermal conductivity of steel, in Lightweight Steel Framed (LSF) buildings, this detrimental effect could be even greater. The use of thermal break (TB) strips is one of the most broadly implemented thermal bridge mit...

This second volume of the Special Issue includes 13 contributions, from across the world, with very interesting research topics such as: Energy Intensity Reduction; Large-Scale Non-Residential Buildings; Dynamic Control of HVAC with Heat Pumps; Reed Potential as a Regenerative Building Material and Their Performance Characterisation; Experimental E...

Plaster is one of the most used and studied materials in the building process. This paper shows the result of the characterisation of a new plaster-based material enlightened and reinforced with polymers and end-of-life tyres’ recycled materials. As far as end-of-life tyres are a common waste item, this paper offers new recycling possibilities, as...

The thermal performance of Lightweight Steel Framed (LSF) walls could be strongly compromised due to steel’s high thermal conductivity and their related thermal bridges. In this paper, the performance of bio-based (pine wood) and recycled (rubber–cork composite) Thermal Break Strip (TBS) materials, to mitigate the thermal bridge effect originated b...

The building sector continues to play an essential role in reducing worldwide energy consumption. The reduced consumption is accompanied by stricter regulation for the thermotechnical design of the building envelope. The redefined nearly Zero Energy Building levels that will come into force for each member state will pressure designers to rethink t...

The reduction of unwanted heat losses across the buildings’ envelope is very relevant to increase energy efficiency and achieve the decarbonization goals for the building stock. Two major heat transfer mechanisms across the building envelope are conduction and radiation, being this last one very important whenever there is an air cavity. In this wo...

Three-dimensional-printed concrete (3DPC), which is also termed as digital fabrication of concrete, offers potential development towards a sustainable built environment. This novel technique clearly reveals its development towards construction application with various global achievements, including structures such as bridges, houses, office buildin...

One strategy to increase energy efficiency of buildings could be the reduction of undesirable heat losses by mitigating the heat transfer mechanisms across the building envelope. The use of thermal insulation is the simplest and most straightforward way to promote thermal resistance of building elements by reducing the heat transfer by conduction....

Silica aerogels hold remarkable properties, particularly their translucence/transparency and extremely low thermal conductivity and density, for buildings thermal insulation purpose. Incorporated in composites or framing systems, they reduce the overall weight of the building envelope while increasing its thermal resistance, being especially valuab...

This Special Issue includes 20 contributions from across the world with very interesting and current research topics, such as insulation solutions and CO 2 emissions; thermal transmittance of LSF walls; statistics for China's building energy consumption; natural ventilation; thermal behavior of an earthbag building; thermal performance and comfort...

An accurate thermal characterization of the envelope components is essential to achieve a reliable evaluation of thermal behaviour and energy efficiency of buildings. In lightweight steel-framed (LSF) building components, the major thermal performance concern is related to the unwanted significant thermal bridge effects originated by the high therm...

This Special Issue is dedicated to the analysis of recent advances on: 1, thermal performance of building’s elements; 2, energy efficiency in buildings; 3, sustainable construction. All types of research approaches are acceptable: experimental, theoretical, numerical, analytical, computational, case studies, and combinations thereof. The main crite...

Energy production still relies considerably on fossil fuels, and the building sector is a major player in the energy consumption market, mainly for space heating and cooling. Thermal bridges (TBs) in buildings are very relevant for the energy efficiency of buildings and may have an impact on heating energy needs of up to 30%. Given the high thermal...

Lightweight steel-framed (LSF) constructive system has become increasingly popular both in new buildings and in refurbishments. Due to LSF buildings usual low mass and rigid connections between the outer and the inner sheathing of the walls, some acoustic performance drawbacks can emerge. In this work, the influence of the steel frame in sound insu...

A reliable evaluation of thermal behaviour and energy efficiency of buildings depends on the accurate thermal characterization of the envelope components. One of the most reliable methodologies to perform this thermal characterization is the measurements under laboratory-controlled conditions. The thermal performance assessment of lightweight steel...

Buildings are seeking renewable energy sources (e.g., solar) and passive devices, such as Trombe walls. However, the thermal performance of Trombe walls depends on many factors. In this work, the thermal behavior and energy efficiency of a Trombe wall in a lightweight steel frame compartment were evaluated, making use of in situ measurements and nu...

An accurate evaluation of the thermal transmittance (U-value) of building envelope elements is fundamental for a reliable assessment of their thermal behaviour and energy efficiency. Simplified analytical methods to estimate the U-value of building elements could be very useful to designers. However, the analytical methods applied to lightweight st...

Open-loop earth-air heat exchangers (EAHE) can be used as a passive contribution to reduce the energy demand of buildings for heating and cooling, by providing a thermal pre-conditioning of the required ventilation air. This paper aims to numerically assess the influence of three parameters on the overall thermal performance of an EAHE system for r...

Given its economical, functional and environmental advantages, Lightweight Steel Frame (LSF) construction is gaining market share, particularly for low-rise residential buildings, relatively to traditional concrete structure and masonry brick walls construction. However, these LSF elements need to be well designed and protected against undesired th...

Resumo. O sistema de construção em LSF é rápido, limpo e flexível, mas os elementos de sua estrutura precisam ser adequadamente projetados e protegidos contra os efeitos das pontes tér-micas causadas pela elevada condutibilidade térmica do aço. É necessário entender como ocor-rem as transferências de calor através dos elementos construtivos de toda...

Lightweight steel-framed (LSF) construction has the potential to reach high standards regarding the functional performance of buildings. Despite the benefits of this construction system, the effect of thermal bridges caused by the high thermal conductivity of the steel structure can be a disadvantage. Furthermore, because LSF buildings have low mas...

This paper provides a kick-off presentation of the project "Tyre4BuildIns"-Recycled tyre rubber resin-bonded for building insulation systems towards energy efficiency. The main goal of this project is to develop a new cost-effective eco-friendly thermal insulation material, that will be used mainly, but not exclusively, as a thermal b reak in Light...

Light steel framed (LSF) construction is becoming widespread as a quick, clean and flexible construction system. However, these LSF elements need to be well designed and protected against undesired thermal bridges caused by the steel high thermal conductivity. To reduce energy consumption in buildings it is necessary to understand how heat transfer...

Given the great influence of the thermal transmittance of the building envelope on the overall thermal performance and energy efficiency of the building, it is essential to accurately determine the U-value of the main building envelope elements. Due to the great heterogeneity of the thermal conductivity of the elements presented in a lightweight st...

Dear Researchers, I am pleased to inform you that we are guest editing for a special issue entitled “Thermal Behaviour, Energy Efficiency in Buildings and Sustainable Construction” which will be published in /Energies/ (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/energies, ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue is now open to receive submissions of full research art...

The experimental characterization of the overall thermal transmittance of homogeneous, moderately- and non-homogeneous walls, windows, and construction elements with innovative materials is very important to predict their thermal performance. It is also important to evaluate if the standard calculation methods to estimate the U-value of new and exi...

This paper provides an overall presentation of the ongoing research project "PCMs4Buildings-Systems with PCM-filled rectangular cavities for the storage of solar thermal energy for buildings". The main goal of this project is to develop a holistic approach for the experimental and numerical evaluation of the thermal behaviour of new thermal energy...

Earth-to-air heat exchanger is an efficient complement to the space heating and cooling systems. An earth-to-air heat exchanger system consists of a set of subterranean pipes leading outdoor air to a ventilation room and by collecting geothermal energy saves some energy. This article presents testing of an earth-to-air heat exchanger installation i...

A avaliação do coeficiente de transmissão térmica de paredes com estrutura leve em aço (LSF, do inglês "Lightweight Steel Framing") é essencial para determinar o seu desempe-nho térmico. Devido à complexidade destas estruturas, torna-se essencial a realização de uma avaliação experimental do seu comportamento térmico. Esta pode ser efetuada através...

A eficiência energética dos edifícios é atualmente um objetivo fundamental da política energética a nível nacional e internacional, uma vez que os edifícios são um dos principais consumidores de energia nos países desenvolvidos. Atualmente, os sistemas de armazenamento de energia térmica (TES-Thermal Energy Storage) podem ser utilizados para reduzi...

Screw connections have an important role in the performance of Light Steel Framing (LSF) construction systems. In this paper, the behaviour LSF panels using screw connections subjected to lateral load is discussed and further insights are provided on the behaviour of such panels by experimental tests and numerical analysis. Therefore, the main aim...

Resumo. Os sistemas de ventilação com permutadores de calor solo-ar (EAHE, do inglês "Ea-rth-to-Air Heat Exchangers") são constituídos por uma rede de tubos enterrados, por onde o ar exterior é forçado a circular, tirando proveito da grande inércia térmica do solo e reduzindo, assim, as necessidades energéticas para climatização dos edifícios. Nest...

Resumo. A construção modular leve em aço (LSF, do inglês "Light Steel Framing"), é uma alternativa eficiente aos tradicionais métodos de construção in-situ. Um dos métodos da cons-trução modular, consiste na assemblagem de painéis (LSF) pré-fabricados e transportados para o local da construção. Na produção destes painéis em LSF, é usual a utilizaçã...

A construção de edifícios com estrutura leve em aço (LSF, do inglês “Light Steel Framing”) contribui para aumentar a sustentabilidade da edificação. Neste trabalho, o sistema de construção em LSF é analisado, indicando as suas principais vantagens e desvantagens. Uma avaliação da energia incorporada nos materiais e operacional do edifício é essenci...

The improvement of the use of renewable energy sources, such as solar thermal energy, and the reduction of energy demand during the several stages of buildings' life cycle is crucial towards a more sustainable built environment. This paper presents an overview of the main features of lightweight steel-framed (LSF) construction with cold-formed elem...

In order to assess sustainability of buildings, environmental, economic and social aspects should be addressed. Within the evaluation of the social criteria, regarding a building in the use stage, the standard EN 15643–3:2012 defines, as a general methodology, a list of performance categories to be addressed. General guidelines for the evaluation o...

Lightweight steel-framed (LSF) construction, given its advantages, has the potential to reach high standards in energy and environmental performance of buildings, such as nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEB). When compared with traditional construction, LSF system offers distinct benefits in such fields as sustainability, cost-effectiveness, constru...

The market share of lightweight steel‐framed (LSF) construction system has grown over the last decades, mainly in low‐rise residential buildings, due to its advantages such as having small weight with high mechanical strength; reduced disruption on‐site and speed of construction; great potential for recycling and reuse; high architectural flexibili...

This paper evaluates the heat transfer through small thermal energy storage (TES) units filled with different phase change materials (PCMs): free-form and microencapsulated PCMs. The experimental results are very useful for benchmarking and validation of numerical models to be used in the design and optimization of new TES systems for buildings. Th...

In building applications (e.g. industrial, offices and residential), the use of lightweight steel-framed structural elements is increasing given its advantages, such as exceptional strength-to-weight relation, great potential for recycling and reuse, humidity shape stability , easy prefabrication and rapid on-site erection. However, the high therma...

Currently, sustainable development and the search for green and renewable energy sources are two of the top priorities of humankind. As it is known, the construction industry has a major role to the global economy, but is also one of the most relevant regarding waste production and resource depletion. For example, buildings have an important share...

The assessment of the sustainability of buildings embraces environmental, economic and social criteria. In the framework of recent European standards developed under CEN/TC 350, the first generation of the standards for the assessment of life cycle social criteria covers only the use stage (information modules B1 to B7). The categories of social pe...

Characterization of innovative eco-thermo-efficient hollow clay bricks. Recycling of industrial nano-crystalline aluminium sludge. Eco-efficient bricks with improved thermal performance (U-value almost 10% lower). Combined experimental/numerical approach to assess thermal performance. Importance of mortar joints in the overall wall thermal transmit...

Resumo. A utilização de estruturas leves em aço enformado a frio ganhou popularidade nas últimas décadas e começam a ser muito utilizadas no setor da construção civil. O adequado desempenho térmico da envolvente de um edifício é fundamental para proporcionar um bom comportamento térmico e uma boa eficiência energética. Neste artigo será analisado o...

Resumo. As construções com estrutura em aço enformado a frio apresentam habitualmente baixa inércia térmica. Com o objetivo de mitigar esta potencial desvantagem foi desenvolvido um painel inovador para as fachadas dos edifícios, que permite também o armazenamento das águas pluviais recolhidas na cobertura dos mesmos. Dada a capacidade de armazenam...

Lightweight steel-framed (LSF) structural elements in building construction provide a way of increasing building sustainability. These structural elements present great potential for recycling and reuse, allowing the conservation of natural resources and the environment. When compared with other materials, these construction components also provide...

In this paper a new numerical tool to estimate the operational energy of buildings, in early design stages, is presented. This tool is part of a novel approach for life-cycle analysis based on macro-components developed in the European research project SB_Steel – Sustainable Buildings in Steel. Two early design stages are considered in the scope of...

In the framework of the European research project SB_Steel, a new life cycle methodology was developed aiming at the evaluation of life cycle impacts of buildings in the early stages of design. The proposed approach includes the estimation of the energy needs of the building during the operation stage. The early stages of design have the higher inf...

The thermal performance of a modular lightweight steel framed wall was measured and calculated with three-dimensional finite element method model. The focus of this article is on the effect of flanking thermal losses. The calculated heat flux values varied from 222% (external surface) to + 50% (internal surface) when flanking loss was set to 0 as a...