The problem of the environment in the inhabited area, in particular of the hygienic-sanitary comfort, are current topics of concern for the builders. The interest of the authors meets the requirements of the tenant. In general, it seems that the cause of the hygienic-sanitary discomfort of the inhabited environment would be the faulty execution of the construction or an inconsistent architectural conception; the current paper presents several factors that cause this discomfort, the tenant being just one of them. The result of faulty operation/utilization of living spaces is inadmissible for those who live there, both materially and with repercussions on their health. Additionally, this paper demonstrates the deficiency of the existing energy performance certificate. The results of our research offer real solutions in eliminating, solving, and correcting the hygienic-sanitary discomfort of the environment inside the buildings; this can be achieved by designing, executing and operating spaces correctly, adequately and optimally, ensuring a healthy environment. The authors propose to improve the norms of protection of the built environment, by modifying the related energy performance legislation/certificate; moreover, new and real practical solutions have been suggested by the authors for the prevention and remediation of hygienic-sanitary discomfort.

On university campuses, retrofitting studies have historically concentrated on individual buildings (or building components) instead of the entire campus. In the present paper, we examine how an incorporated strategic planning strategy might be used to investigate the socio-technical construction of a campus retrofit operation throughout multiple scale/sectors. The campus of the University of Oradea (CUO), Romania, with its beginnings in the 1910s was investigated using its new master plan. The developed strategies for a “green” and “healthy” campus depict a CUO redesign involving complex solutions for the green renovation of old buildings. In addition, the improvement effects of the modernization interventions already carried out were analyzed and quantified. Sixteen buildings (30% of the built area) were consolidated/rehabilitated/modernized, and/or equipped in the last decade, seven educational spaces being included in the circuit of the buildings fund (totaling 5491.59 sq m). For the renovated spaces, energy consumption was reduced by 20–88% and CO₂ emissions by 41.82–86%, depending on the specifics of each space. The reconfiguration, rehabilitation, and energy efficiency of the entire heating system of CUO (which uses geothermal water as a specific characteristic) significantly improved (20% decrease in energy and 21% decrease in geothermal water consumption). Our findings offer new directions and design solutions for the ecological modernization of other outdated university campuses, highlighting new perspectives in the green university campuses’ management, as a way to implement sustainability in the higher education environment. Data presented give professionals in the field (architects, designers, engineers, planners, and decision makers) a clear picture of the benefits due to ecological renovation, also offering the necessary tools to implement new solutions for reducing the impact of urban areas on the environment.

A variety of strategies intended to support environmentally friendly and resource-efficient building processes comprise sustainable construction policies. The limited number of bibliometric analyses in the field may hinder the ability to assess the efficacy and impact of research efforts, impede the potential for collaboration, and even limit the dissemination of best practices. Therefore, the present study aims to analyze the impact of published data on the topic of energy efficiency of buildings using the Web of Science core collection database. We perform a bibliometric analysis and science mapping research that assesses significant parameters for the field. A total of 28,555 papers were analyzed using the VOSviewer program. The data was divided into two periods to determine the evolution of trends in this field. The most prolific countries in this field were China, the United States, and England. Following the analysis of the collaboration maps, it was determined that there is a strong collaborative relationship between these countries in the development of papers. The most prolific papers of the first period were published in Energy Policy and Energy and Buildings, which also ranked first in the second period, followed by Energies. It was observed that the most frequent terms used in literature searches in the field differ according to the periods analyzed. In the beginning, the most frequent term was “energy efficiency and performance”, and between 2011 and 2023, the terms “applied energy” and “renewable and sustainable energy” increased considerably with technological development. The results of this research demonstrate the significant and expanding scientific interest in this area and serve as a valuable asset for researchers studying the energy efficiency of buildings.

Thermal comfort and environmental quality in buildings are critical factors in achieving Sustainable Development Goals related to health, energy efficiency, and sustainable constructions. The present paper aims to establish a scientific framework for sustainable construction, focusing both on the thermal comfort and indoor/outdoor quality of the air. With the average person spending 87% of their day indoors, understanding thermal comfort, defined as the subjective experience of a satisfactory thermal environment, is essential. Two primary models, the stable model and the adaptive model, are employed to analyze thermal comfort, accounting for various factors such as ambient temperature, air circulation, and individual differences. This study uses bibliometric analysis and scientific mapping to evaluate 14,179 articles from the Web of Science database indexed in the last 4 years (2020/2024). Current findings indicate a significant interest in this topic, with China and the USA leading in research output. The study reveals a strong focus on improving thermal comfort through innovative materials, mixed-mode ventilation, and vegetation integration in urban environments. Additionally, there is a notable emphasis on the air quality’ s influence on human health. Present analysis underscores the international collaboration implications, highlighting strong links between major research countries. This comprehensive bibliometric study provides insightful observations about the field’s prospects and existing trends, highlighting the necessity of ongoing research and interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance thermal comfort and environmental quality in sustainable construction.