In the last few years, Stara planina (the Balkan Mountains) and its surroundings have been improving their tourist offer. The area is protected by law, as a nature park, and the construction of new buildings requires a complex administrative procedure. Renovation of country houses is part of the usual construction procedures and is easier to carry out. Typical renovation solutions involve application of industrial materials with significant impact on the environment from the process of their production and further on. The traditional houses found in many mountains across Serbia and the Balkans are constructed using natural materials. Hence, this paper tackles the problem of renovating such dwellings by application of natural materials to improve their usability and reduce their energy and carbon footprint. An analysis is performed on a case study model of a typical house from Stara planina. The advantages of using natural materials in the process of renovating a traditional house are analysed. By using TRNSYS software, the total amount of energy demands of the house during a typical meteorological year with four scenarios (current state, walls isolated with sheep and hemp wool panels and EPS) was simulated. These materials were further analysed for their environmental impact by means of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). In the synthesis of the research, the best results were brought into connection with the sustainable development of the architectural heritage. The results prove that natural products provide the necessary thermal comfort and have a significantly more positive impact on the environment than artificial materials. Based on this study, recommendations were created for the sustainable renovation of vernacular architecture in Serbia. The goal of the paper is to create scientific and professional evidence that local and natural materials must be used to reduce the impact of climate change and that such sustainable renovation is in accordance with modern architectural design and thermal comfort. The goal is also to fill the gap in renovation methods in Serbia, according to the principles of sustainable design.

In the field of industrial machinery condition monitoring, vibration analysis is a vital technique that helps engineers and maintenance specialists identify possible problems in intricate systems before they become expensive failures. Ensuring the best performance and longevity of industrial gear is crucial, especially in sectors that largely depend on intricate machinery. The proper selection and application of measurement tools and methodologies is one of the most important components of an efficient vibration analysis. This research analyzes the impact of vibrations on the performance of two distinct machines, as well as the different methods employed by the machine manufacturers in interpreting the vibration measurements.

Suburbs represent an integral component of metropolitan development, reflecting diverse urban planning, social, and cultural approaches to housing. They are typically characterized by residential communities marked by uniformity, mass production, and spatial monotony. However, the development of suburban areas reveals significant functional, morphological, and geographical variations, contingent upon regional and cultural contexts. This paper examines the typological characteristics of selected case studies through a comparative analysis of geographical context, functional zoning, and the socio-economic structure of the population. The research focuses on architectural and urban homogeneity, spatial organization patterns, and housing-related aspects. The primary objective is to identify and classify recurring spatial patterns, similarities, and differences in suburban models across North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia, grouping them according to specific typological features of housing.

Over the past thirty years, there has been a notable increase in electricity usage within the residential sector of Europe. Final energy consumption in the EU residential sector has risen by 26.3%, with heating systems/electric boilers accounting for a substantial portion at 19.1% of final energy usage. Additionally, the combined utilization of solar energy for heating and cooling presents an opportunity to elevate solar thermal energy from primarily providing domestic hot water to becoming a major energy source for buildings, complete with hot water storage buffers. This study presents a model of a solar thermal system with heat storage, simulated using TRNSYS software, based on typical meteorological conditions in Nis, Serbia. The system is designed for heating domestic hot water, and scenario analysis is conducted to assess the advantages of solar thermal applications compared to electric hot water heaters. The findings suggest significant savings in electricity usage and costs are possible, although careful consideration is needed when sizing solar thermal systems to prevent stagnation during the summer months.

The use of green hydrogen represents the most likely direction for the transformation of the energy sector of modern society, on the path of transition towards the use of sustainable energy in the future. Only green hydrogen, produced by using renewable energy sources, can significantly contribute to achieving the goals of the sustainable energy strategy, with a particular contribution to reducing carbon dioxide and global greenhouse gas emissions. This paper analyzes the current state and potential of the use of green hydrogen in different sectors, with a special emphasis on Europe, as a leader in the implementation of hydrogen-based technologies. A comparative analysis of cases shows how different approaches can contribute to accelerating the adoption of green hydrogen on a global scale. Through this paper, the aim is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state, challenges and opportunities for the wider application of green hydrogen, and to point out its potential to become a key link in sustainable energy transformation and reduction of dependence on fossil fuels.