Advances in Passive House Research and Applications
DETAILS
CALL FOR PAPERS
Advances in Passive House Research and Applications
Journal: Sustainable Cities and Society: Advances
Publisher: Elsevier
Submission Deadline: 6 January 2027
Introduction
Passive House has rapidly evolved from a voluntary design standard to a cornerstone of global low-carbon and climate-resilient building strategies. As regions such as Scotland introduce national "Passive House Equivalent" regulations — and others prepare similar pathways — the need to consolidate cutting-edge scientific and technical knowledge has never been greater.
This Special Issue explores advances in climate-adapted Passive House design, digital and AI-driven optimisation, renewable integration, retrofitting strategies, and occupant-centric performance assessment. By bringing together interdisciplinary research, innovative methodologies, and real-world applications, the Special Issue aims to accelerate the transition toward healthy, comfortable, ultra-low-energy buildings and sustainable urban environments worldwide.
Scope & Significance
This Special Issue addresses the growing global momentum behind Passive House and Passivhaus standards — examining both the scientific foundations and practical applications that are driving the transition to ultra-low-energy buildings. It welcomes contributions spanning building physics, architectural engineering, digital simulation, energy systems, and social dimensions of building performance.
List of Topic Areas
Manuscripts are invited on themes including, but not limited to:
Climate-adaptive Passive House design — principles, methodologies, and case studies
Building envelope performance — insulation, airtightness, thermal bridging, and glazing
Building performance simulation and modelling for Passive House design
AI and digital optimisation tools for Passive House and ultra-low-energy buildings
Renewable energy integration — solar, heat pumps, and energy storage in Passive House systems
Retrofit and deep renovation strategies toward Passive House performance
Indoor environmental quality — thermal comfort, air quality, daylight, and acoustics
Passive House in diverse climates — tropical, arid, cold, and humid contexts
Passivhaus standard — regulatory pathways, compliance, and certification
Occupant behaviour, post-occupancy evaluation, and performance gaps
Urban heat island mitigation and climate-sensitive design in Passive House contexts
Sustainable and low-carbon buildings — lifecycle assessment and embodied carbon
National and regional Passive House equivalent regulations — comparative analyses
Controlled environment agriculture and sustainable built environments
Façade engineering and adaptive technologies in Passive House design
Guest Editors
Dr. Amirhossein Balali (Leading Guest Editor) University of Hertfordshire, UK Areas of expertise: Passive and Low Carbon Building Design; Building Physics; Sustainable Built Environment; Construction Management
Prof. Francesco Fiorito Polytechnic University of Bari, Italy Areas of expertise: Architectural Engineering; Façade Engineering; Urban Heat Island Mitigation; Adaptive Technologies
Prof. Manuela Almeida University of Minho, Portugal Areas of expertise: Passive and Low-Energy Building Design; Energy Efficiency; Building Physics; Renovation Strategies; Indoor Environmental Quality
Prof. Liping Wang University of Wyoming, USA Areas of expertise: Sustainable Built Environment; Building Performance Modelling; Controlled Environment Agriculture
Dr. Elmira Jamei Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia Areas of expertise: Urban Overheating; Heat Mitigation; Climate Sensitive Built Environment
Key Deadlines
Manuscript Submission Opens: 9 January 2026 Manuscript Submission Deadline: 6 January 2027
Submission Guidelines
Submit your manuscript via Editorial Manager, the official online submission system. When submitting, select Article Type:
"VSI: SCSADV_Passive House"
All manuscripts will undergo peer review and will be evaluated based on originality, significance, technical quality, and clarity. Once accepted, articles will be posted online immediately and simultaneously collected in the online Special Issue.
All submissions must be original and must not be under review elsewhere at the time of submission. All articles will be reviewed by no fewer than two independent experts.
For author guidelines, visit the official Sustainable Cities and Society: Advances journal page on the Elsevier ScienceDirect website.
Why Publish in This Special Issue?
Special Issue articles are downloaded twice as often within the first 24 months compared to regular issue articles
Special Issue articles attract 20% more citations in the first 24 months
Articles are published together on ScienceDirect — making it easy for researchers to discover your work
All articles reviewed by no fewer than two independent experts
About the Journal
Sustainable Cities and Society: Advances, published by Elsevier, is a fully open access peer-reviewed journal dedicated to advancing research on sustainable urban development, building technology, and the built environment. It provides an international platform for interdisciplinary scholarship exploring how cities, buildings, and infrastructure systems can be designed and managed to promote environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and human well-being.
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