Sustainable Construction and New European Bauhaus Principles

The building and construction sector plays a central role in the transition toward a more sustainable, low-carbon, and resource-efficient future. Buildings account for a large share of global energy use and emissions, while also shaping the health, comfort, and quality of life of the people who use them. In this context, sustainable construction must move beyond technical efficiency alone and embrace integrated design approaches that combine environmental performance, social value, affordability, and architectural quality. The principles associated with the New European Bauhaus — sustainability, inclusion, and beauty — offer a valuable framework for rethinking how buildings and urban spaces are designed, constructed, operated, and adapted over time.

This Research Topic aims to explore innovative strategies, technologies, and design methods that improve the energy efficiency and overall performance of buildings while supporting more sustainable and human-centered construction practices. Particular attention will be given to low-energy design, passive and active energy systems, sustainable materials, circular construction methods, building performance assessment, and approaches that link technical performance with architectural, cultural, and social considerations. By bringing together research from engineering, architecture, urban planning, environmental science, and construction management, this collection seeks to highlight practical pathways for delivering buildings that are energy-efficient, resilient, comfortable, and aligned with the values of green transition.

This Research Topic invites Original Research, Review, Mini-Review, and Perspective articles that provide new insights into how sustainable construction can support the design and delivery of high-performing, low-energy buildings. Contributions may include experimental studies, modelling work, policy analysis, design frameworks, comparative assessments, and real-world case studies that demonstrate how energy efficiency and sustainability can be integrated with broader social and design goals. We welcome contributions that address sustainable construction and building performance from both theoretical and applied perspectives.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
· Energy-efficient building design
· Low-energy and nearly zero-energy buildings
· Passive design strategies
· Sustainable construction materials
· Circular economy approaches in the built environment
· Life-cycle assessment of buildings
· Building energy modelling and simulation
· Performance monitoring and post-occupancy evaluation
· Retrofitting and renovation strategies
· Smart technologies for building performance optimization
· Green construction practices
· Climate-responsive design
· Indoor environmental quality
· The role of New Bauhaus principles in shaping sustainable, inclusive, and aesthetically valuable built environments.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Energy efficiency, Sustainable buildings, Building performance, Low-energy design, Green construction

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.