Climate change is one of the most important environmental problems faced by Planet Earth. The majority of CO2 emissions come from burning fossil fuels for energy production and improvements in energy efficiency shows the greatest potential for any single strategy to abate global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the energy sector. Energy related emissions account for almost 80% of the EU's total greenhouse gas emissions. The building sector is the largest energy user responsible for about 40% of the EU's total final energy consumption. In Europe the number of installed air conditioning systems has increased 500% over the last 20 years, but in that same period energy cooling needs have increased more than 20 times. The increase in energy cooling needs relates to the current higher living and working standards. In urban environments with low outdoor air quality (the general case) this means that in summer-time one cannot count on natural ventilation to reduce cooling needs. Do not forget the synergistic effect between heat waves and air pollution which means that outdoor air quality is worse in the summer aggravating cooling needs. Over the next few years this phenomenon will become much worse because more people will live in cities, more than 2 billion by 2050 and global warming will aggravate cooling needs. - An overview of materials to lessen the impact of urban heat islands - Excellent coverage of building materials to reduce air condtioning needs - Innovative products discussed such as Thermo and Electrochromic materials

Eco-efficient Materials for Reducing Cooling Needs in Buildings and Construction: Design, Properties and Applications provides a comprehensive review on building envelope materials and technologies for reducing cooling needs in buildings. The book offers in-depth analysis of the performance of new innovative materials and technologies used in pavements, facade and roofing materials, PCMs and chromogenic smart materials. Includes practical case study examples of their applications in building and construction. The book is an essential reference resource for researchers, architects and civil engineers, city planners, product developers, manufacturers, and other professionals working in eco-efficient cooling materials and sustainable and zero-energy building design. - Offers a comprehensive review of building envelope materials and technologies for reducing cooling needs - Features practical case studies, which are fundamental for building design and applications - Provides in-depth analysis of performance for different materials and technologies - Features brand new chapters on pavements, facade and roofing materials, PCMs and chromogenic smart materials

Eco-efficient Pavement Construction Materials acquaints engineers with research findings on new eco-efficient pavement materials and how they can be incorporated into future pavements. Divided into three distinctive parts, the book emphasizes current research topics such as pavements with recycled waste, pavements for climate change mitigation, self-healing pavements, and pavements with energy harvesting potential. Part One considers techniques for recycling, Part Two reviews the contribution of pavements for climate change mitigation, including cool pavements, the development of new coatings for high albedo targets, and the design of pervious pavements. Finally, Part Three focuses on self-healing pavements, addressing novel materials and design and performance. Finally, the book discusses the case of pavements with energy harvesting potential, addressing different technologies on this field. - Offers a clear and concise lifecycle assessment of asphalt pavement recycling for greenhouse gas emission with temporal aspects - Applies key research trends to green the pavement industry - Includes techniques for recycling waste materials, the design of cool pavements, self-healing mechanisms, and key steps in energy harvesting

Cost-Effective Energy Efficient Building Retrofitting:Materials, Technologies, Optimization and Case Studies provides essential knowledge for civil engineers, architects, and other professionals working in the field of cost-effective energy efficient building retrofitting. The building sector is responsible for high energy consumption and its global demand is expected to grow as each day there are approximately 200,000 new inhabitants on planet Earth. The majority of electric energy will continue to be generated from the combustion of fossil fuels releasing not only carbon dioxide, but also methane and nitrous oxide. Energy efficiency measures are therefore crucial to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of the building sector. Energy efficient building retrofitting needs to not only be technically feasible, but also economically viable. New building materials and advanced technologies already exist, but the knowledge to integrate all active components is still scarce and far from being widespread among building industry stakeholders. - Emphasizes cost-effective methods for the refurbishment of existing buildings, presenting state-of-the-art technologies - Includes detailed case studies that explain various methods and Net Zero Energy - Explains optimal analysis and prioritization of cost effective strategies

This book presents the current state of knowledge on nanomaterials and their use in buildings, ranging from glazing and vacuum insulation to PCM composites. It also discusses recent applications in organic photovoltaics, photo-bioreactors, bioplastics and foams, making it an exciting read while also providing copious references to current research and applications for those wanting to pursue possible future research directions. Derek Clements-Croome, Emeritus Professor in Architectural Engineering, University of Reading (From the Foreword) Demonstrating how higher energy efficiency in new and existing buildings can help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, this book details the way in which new technologies, manufacturing processes and products can serve to abate emissions from the energy sector and offer a cost-effective means of improving competitiveness and drive employment. Maximizing reader insights into how nano and biotech materials – such as aerogel based plasters, thermochromic glazings and thermal energy adsorbing glass, amongst others – can provide high energy efficiency performance in buildings, it provides practitioners in the field with an important high-tech tool to tackle key challenges and is essential reading for civil engineers, architects, materials scientists and researchers in the area of the sustainability of the built environment.

Putting forward an innovative approach to solving current technological problems faced by human society, this book encompasses a holistic way of perceiving the potential of natural systems. Nature has developed several materials and processes which both maintain an optimal performance and are also totally biodegradable, properties which can be used in civil engineering. Delivering the latest research findings to building industry professionals and other practitioners, as well as containing information useful to the public, ‘Biotechnologies and Biomimetics for Civil Engineering’ serves as an important tool to tackle the challenges of a more sustainable construction industry and the future of buildings.

Eco-efficient Materials for Reducing Cooling Needs in Buildings and Construction: Design, Properties and Applications provides a comprehensive review on building envelope materials and technologies for reducing cooling needs in buildings. The book offers in-depth analysis of the performance of new innovative materials and technologies used in pavements, facade and roofing materials, PCMs and chromogenic smart materials. Includes practical case study examples of their applications in building and construction. The book is an essential reference resource for researchers, architects and civil engineers, city planners, product developers, manufacturers, and other professionals working in eco-efficient cooling materials and sustainable and zero-energy building design. Offers a comprehensive review of building envelope materials and technologies for reducing cooling needs Features practical case studies, which are fundamental for building design and applications Provides in-depth analysis of performance for different materials and technologies Features brand new chapters on pavements, facade and roofing materials, PCMs and chromogenic smart materials