Journal profile · Engineering, Civil
Energy and Buildings
ISSN 0378-7788 · eISSN 1872-6178 · Elsevier BV · SWITZERLAND · Bimonthly
Energy and Buildings: CAS Zone 2 · Engineering (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 7.95; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,260; review about 111 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy (Elsevier website: 39%); 1,498 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Energy and Buildings is published by Elsevier BV and is in Zone 2 of Engineering in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Building Energy and Comfort Optimization, Urban Heat Island Mitigation and Wind and Air Flow Studies, together about 47.4% of its articles. Its main subfields are Mechanical Engineering. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
An international journal devoted to investigations of energy use and efficiency in buildingsEnergy and Buildings is an international journal publishing articles with explicit links to energy use in buildings. The aim is to present new research results, and new proven practice aimed at reducing the energy needs of a building and improving indoor environment quality. Energy and Buildings considers and publishes articles considerably advancing Building Science. Preference is given to practical and experimental research articles reporting considerable innovations. Articles reporting advances in theoretical and simulation methods are welcome if results are validated, calibrated, or benchmarked using appropriate experimental or well-recognized data, and so are the articles reporting applications of numerical or theoretical methods for the analysis of new technologies, materials, and innovative designs or operations.Topics covered include:Energy demands and consumption in existing, new, and future buildings – prediction, benchmarking, and validationIndoor environment quality, including safety, health, thermal and visual comfort vis-à-vis energyNatural, mechanical and hybrid ventilationAir distribution in buildingsApplication of solar and other renewable energy sources in buildingsEnergy balances in building complexes (residential, commercial, industrial, public and other buildings)Energy efficiency improvement measures of HVAC&R and other technical systems in residential, commercial, public and industrial buildings, and semi open built spacesHeat recovery systems in buildingsBuildings and district heating and coolingEnergy conservation in built environmentEnergy efficient buildingsBuilding physicsEnergy sustainability, resilience and climate adaptability of buildingsEvaluation and control of indoor thermal and lighting systemsBuilding's total performance and influencing factorsIntelligent/smart buildings and communitiesLinks between architectural design, mechanical and lighting systemsNew materials in buildings and their impact on energy demandsExternal and internal design conditions for energy efficient buildingsBuilding envelope materials and structure energy performanceThermal energy storage and thermally active building systems - TABSEnergy performance of buildingsAdvanced controls of energy systems in buildings: model predictive controls, AI-based controlsZero CO2 emission - zero energy and energy plus buildings and their smart grid harmonized operationResidential/municipal energy refurbishment and renovationLife cycle energy efficiency of buildings and embodied energyArchitectural structure - construction energy efficiencyEnergy related aspects of buildings after catastrophic eventsApplications of AI related to energy use in buildingsTechnological issues in energy poverty in building sectorsImpacts of urban microclimate and wind-structure interaction on the thermal comfort in building surroundings, building ventilation and energy useGlobal and regional climate change and its potential impact on the energy and environmental quality of the built environmentNew heat and energy mitigation and adaptation technologies for the built environmentSuccessful case studies demonstrating the implementation of innovative energy and environmental technologies in the built environmentSynergies between energy consumption and indoor environmental qualityThe impact of human behaviors on the energy consumption of buildingsDistributed energy resources (behind-the-meter) in buildingsEnergy flexibility and demand response of buildingsGrid-responsive buildings and integrated energy systemsInterconnections between buildings, urban climate, transportation, and power gridDatasets of operational performance of buildings and energy systemsFuture and extreme weather data supporting energy and buildings researchEnergy use in data centers and industry facilitiesAdvanced building performance modelling and simulation techniquesDecarbonization (including electrif
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Engineering, Civil
Editor-in-chief Jianlei NiuPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 29 in mainland China (about 18%); most named Mainland China 29, United States 20, Italy 20, Australia 12, United Kingdom 10 (164 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Building Energy and Comfort OptimizationEngineering30.8%
- Urban Heat Island MitigationEnvironmental Science9.7%
- Wind and Air Flow StudiesEnvironmental Science6.9%
- Sustainable Building Design and AssessmentEngineering4.2%
- Smart Grid Energy ManagementEngineering4.1%
- Energy Efficiency and ManagementEnergy3.6%
- Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic SystemsEnergy3%
- Adsorption and Cooling SystemsEngineering3%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Engineering Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Construction & Building Technology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Energy & Fuels | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Engineering, Civil | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Engineering Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Construction & Building Technology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Energy & Fuels | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Engineering, Civil | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Engineering Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Construction & Building Technology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Energy & Fuels | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Engineering, Civil | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 7.95LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 8Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 13.1LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 13.1Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.62LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.94LetPub ·
- h-index
- 147LetPub ·
- h-index
- 288OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 12,402OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 7.88OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 13.8%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 30.17%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 1,422LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 18,057 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1,238 | 531 | 872 |
| 2025 | 1,498 | 578 | 10,000 |
| 2024 | 1,213 | 501 | 20,252 |
| 2023 | 948 | 367 | 24,216 |
| 2022 | 777 | 278 | 25,709 |
| 2021 | 953 | 303 | 38,098 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
111 dayssubmission to acceptance · community reports about 2.7 months
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 2.7 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 39%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 46 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 111 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,260 / EUR 3,990 / GBP 3,410 / JPY 528,370 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,150 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers8, by deadline
- AI Empowered Sustainable Urban DevelopmentDeadline
- From Structure to Power: Advances in Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting in BuildingsDeadline
- Ecological Building Materials and TechnologiesDeadline
- Transforming Building Operation with AI: Applications, Best Practices and OpportunitiesDeadline
- Invited Articles celebration 50 Years of the JournalDeadline
- Building and District Energy Transitions: Pathways to Low-Carbon and Climate-Resilient Urban SystemsDeadline
- At the Intersection of Housing, Climate, and Social VulnerabilityDeadline
- Urban Overheating and Sustainable Energy Transition: Multiscale Urban Climate Modeling, Energy Systems, and ResilienceDeadline
What to prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Templates
- LaTeX
- Highlights
- Required
Article types accepted4
- original papersOriginal papers (preferably no more than 20 double line spaced manuscript pages including tables and illustrations)Length not stated
- review article(no more than 10 double line spaced manuscript pages including tables and figures). Authors should produce a manuscript that can be reviewed on its own. Authors…Length not stated
- review articlesReview Articles and Short Communications (no more than 10 double line spaced manuscript pages including tables and figures)Length not stated
- short communicationsReview Articles and Short Communications (no more than 10 double line spaced manuscript pages including tables and figures)Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Follows Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
Open access options available Model summary
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed, does not count as prior publication Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Country or region
- SWITZERLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- ISSN
- 0378-7788
- Electronic ISSN
- 1872-6178
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Energy and Buildings
What CAS zone is Energy and Buildings in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Energy and Buildings is in Zone 2 of Engineering, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Construction & Building Technology / Energy & Fuels / Engineering, Civil; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Engineering. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Energy and Buildings?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 7.95; CiteScore 13.1, h-index 288.
How long does peer review take at Energy and Buildings?
The publisher reports about 111 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of about 2.7 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly easy (Elsevier website: 39%)”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Energy and Buildings?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Templates: LaTeX; Highlights: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Energy and Buildings based?
Of the 164 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 29 (about 18%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (29), United States (20) and Italy (20). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Energy and Buildings?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Energy and Buildings is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Energy and Buildings open access, and what is the APC?
Energy and Buildings is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,260.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .