International Conference on Construction, Energy, Environment and Sustainability (CEES 2023)

Scope

The second International Conference on Construction, Energy, Environment and Sustainability - CEES 2023 - will take place in Funchal (Madeira Island), Portugal, from 27 to 30 June 2023, and is being organized by Itecons in collaboration with CONST-NRC (Canada).

As concerns with sustainability, efficiency and wellbeing continue to grow, the construction industry must not only continue to embrace new technologies, processes and materials, but also continue to address the many challenges facing the existing building stock. The International CEES conference aims to bring together construction, energy and environment researchers, engineers, planners, stakeholders and policy makers to address these challenges.

In order to achieve a sustainable built environment and a sustainable construction activity, professionals from a wide range of backgrounds need to work together, from researchers working on the development of innovative construction materials and technologies, on building physics and energy performance, or on studying the environmental effects of manmade infrastructure, to those working towards the adoption of the industry 4.0 principals or those working in a more regional and urban scale, all the while without neglecting the social and economic aspects of sustainable construction and housing.

GENERAL THEMES

The scientific topics have been arranged in the following general themes:

• Construction materials and technologies
• Building physics
• Energy
• Water and sanitation
• Environment
• Construction and industry 4.0
• Community challenges and policies

Bellow you can find more information on each theme and its connection with the general scope of the CEES 2023 conference.  

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES

From the extraction of resources to the production and transport of materials to the construction process, the construction industry is responsible for a great deal of carbon emissions, as is the use stage of buildings and manmade infrastructures. This has motivated the search for alternatives to conventional materials and the need for innovation in materials production and performance, as well as for the development of novel building systems and construction technologies that reduce the environmental impacts associated both with new and existing construction. Paper topics may include:

• Natural materials
• Vernacular/traditional materials and techniques
• Materials incorporating waste
• Green roofs and living facades     
• Adaptive building skins
• Rehabilitation, retrofitting and refurbishment
• Conservation and maintenance of historical and cultural heritage
• Quality control systems
• Other

BUILDING PHYSICS

It is known that we spend most of our time indoors. As concerns with climate change and resource scarcity grow, so do people’s expectations regarding indoor comfort and safety levels in buildings. In this context, it is important to continue to further knowledge the development of modelling tools and experimental characterization procedures that allow for the better understanding of the performance of buildings and the behavior of construction elements.
Paper topics include:

• Hygrothermal performance 
• Heat and mass transfer
• Building acoustics 
• Indoor environment quality
• Fire safety
• Building pathologies and diagnostic
• Other

ENERGY

As we strive for a sustainable built environment, energy scarcity is one of the key issues that must be dealt with. Since the built environment is responsible for a significant portion of total energy consumption, policymakers are increasingly focused on reducing energy consumption in buildings and manmade structures. However, in order to fully address this issue, researchers from different background are coming together to work on cleaner generation and distribution, improved storage, and more efficient use at the building, neighborhood and regional level.
Paper topics include:

• Energy policies
• Energy efficiency
• Renewable energy sources
• Sustainable energy production
• Energy storage and distribution
• Energy and mobility
• Nearly zero energy buildings
• Passive houses
• Other

WATER AND SANITATION

Water and sanitation are at the core of urban planning and sustainable development of the built environment. Increasing water-use efficiency, improving water quality, protecting and restoring water related ecosystems, promoting equitable and universal sanitation, and achieving access to safe drinking water for all, are fundamental for a sustainable urban planning and resilient and safe infrastructures. Paper topics include:

• Water efficiency in buildings
• Water-energy nexus
• Water / wastewater treatment and reuse
• Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)
• Water pollution and circular economy
• Integrated water management
• Other 

ENVIRONMENT

Increased population and urbanisation have undoubtedly led to negative effects on the environment and contributed greatly to climate change. From resourcing and construction to use of infrastructure and disposal of waste, the built environmentbuilding stock is responsible for major impacts on the environment. In this context, environmental engineering and management activities are crucial for assessing and minimizing these impacts, as well as for enabling climate change adaptation. Paper topics include:

• Natural hazards mitigation
• Resilience and adaptation to climate changes
• Environmental risk management
• CO2 capturing and management
• Waste recovery and management
• Circular economy
• Eco-design
• Life cycle assessment
• Environmental labels and declarations
• Environmental assessment of buildings
• Other

CONSTRUCTION AND INDUSTRY 4.0

As most industries continue to rapidly modernise and adopt new technologies, the construction industry transformation through digitisation is becoming inevitable. Automation in manufacturing, prefabrication and building information modelling are already being widely used. As we transition into Construction 4.0, multidisciplinary researchers are working on using these new technologies to benefit construction efficiency in alignment with stricter environmental requirements. Paper topics include:

• Construction management 
• Construction Industry challenges
• Prefabrication
• Virtual design and construction
• Building Information Modelling (BIM)
• Automation in construction
• Smart buildings
• IoT/AI
• Smart readiness indicator
• Digital information
• Other

COMMUNITY CHALLENGES AND POLICIES

Along with the protection of the environment, economic viability and social equity are commonly referred to as the other two pillars of sustainability. As resources like food, water and energy become scarcer and population and urbanization continue to increase, community challenges are more significant than ever. The social and economic aspects of buildings and urban development must not be neglected. Paper topics include:

• Urban planning
• Economics, financing and management
• Applied social sciences in housing
• Education for Sustainable Construction
• Health and safety in the construction sector
• Green infrastructures
• Inclusive design
• Environmental noise
• Urban metabolism
• Smart cities
• Other

Important dates:

• Submission of abstracts: 1^st February 2023
• Notification of acceptance: 15^th February 2023
• Final abstract/paper submission: 7^th April 2023