The escalating demand for natural resources within the construction industry is progressing upward. At the same time, however, there is a great concern regarding the depletion of these resources. This review paper emphasizes the significance of utilizing alternative aggregate materials in concrete. Particularly, it aims to explore replacing natural sand with stone dust. On the one hand, the depletion of primary sources of natural sand worldwide, combined with environmental and ecological concerns, drives the adoption of alternative aggregate materials for sustainable concrete construction. On the other hand, stone dust, a waste from the quarrying industry, offers a cost-effective and practical solution for producing concrete. This article presents a comprehensive literature review of the main trends in utilizing stone dust in recycled aggregates in the past decade and its influence on concrete properties. It addresses critical research questions regarding the physical and chemical properties of stone dust aggregates compared to natural sand; the impact of stone dust on the workability, mechanical, physical, and durability properties of recycled concrete; and the potential reduction of environmental impacts in terms of energy consumption and emissions through the replacement of natural sand with stone dust. Ultimately, this paper proposes future investigative work based on identified research gaps.

The focus on building energy efficiency using alternative materials in structures, especially concrete, and the main technical and environmental challenges therein, aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This study proposes a review that analyzes structures made with recycled concrete, relating to the energy efficiency of buildings. A classification structure was proposed, addressing the following questions: (i) What are the various dimensions in which research into energy-efficient recycled concrete is concentrated? (ii) What are the themes and classes of research associated with these dimensions? (iii) What are the main shortcomings of current approaches, and what would be a good research agenda for the future development of energy-efficient recycled concrete? A bibliometric analysis was carried out, presenting geographical and cluster maps to understand different research trends and refine future research. This was followed by a bibliographic analysis, reviewing the most relevant studies from the last five years (2019–2024). The results showed some residual alternative materials (around 45 types from five different industries) used in the production of energy-efficient concrete. And, as a negative effect, as substitution rates increase, porosity is the property with the greatest impact on energy efficiency. The greater the number of pores and the greater their interconnection, the lower the material’s thermal insulation.

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In recent years, sustainable development policies (SDPs) have focused on the impacts of climate change, especially CO2 emissions. The importance of SDPs against climate change aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 13, "Climate Action". This study proposes a review that analyzes how SDPs relate to education, the environmental impacts of climate change, and the social and governmental implications. A classification has been proposed to provide information on new initiatives related to the formulation of SDPs, addressing the following questions: (i) What are the dimensions related to climate change policy research for sustainable development? (ii) What are the themes and classes of research associated with these dimensions? (iii) What are the main gaps in current approaches and what would be a good research agenda for the future of policy research for sustainable development? A bibliometric and bibliographic analysis was carried out reviewing the most relevant studies from the last five years (2019-2024) and, using VosViewer and GPS Visualizer, geographical and cluster maps were presented to understand the different research trends and refine future research. The results of the study highlighted the main areas on which future research into sustainable development policies could focus.