To progressively reduce the greenhouse gas emissions and the energy consumption of the building sector, for achieving climate neutrality by 2050, the EU Commission approved the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), at the beginning of 2024. According to the new Directive, starting from 2030 all new buildings in EU will have to be zero-emissions and fully decarbonized. With this aim in mind research and innovation carried out by universities and industrial companies must find a new generation of safe and sustainable advanced materials, also suitable for the circular economy. It will need to be considered the potential impact on global warming of buildings/materials/products, through the Life Cycle assessment, by calculating the greenhouse gas emissions and selecting the most appropriate measures to guarantee a reduction in the primary energy. In EU, the progressive installation of integrated solar systems in public, residential and non-residential buildings, and of greenery systems integrated in buildings and cities, will have to be guaranteed. But what will happen worldwide? What about strategies other non-EU countries are going to implement for counteracting climate change? What about research and innovation pursued at the international level by universities and companies?

Considering that nature-based solutions (NBS) are long-existing and effective tools for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, the Special Issue (SI) aims to offer a privileged showcase of NBS strategies, materials, and products that are currently being implemented and developed at university laboratories and industrial company levels, as well as in real environments. The SI will highlight the pros and cons, savings and costs, sustainability, and benefits for society, as well as the conservation of local and global biodiversity, resilience, and climate adaptation.

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Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy

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