Buildings is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal (free for readers) that publishes original articles, critical reviews, research notes, and short communications on building science, building engineering and architecture design. There is no restriction on the length of the papers as we encourage researchers to publish their innovative ideas and results in as much detail as possible. Additionally, we encourage authors to publish related electronic files or software along with their publication as “Supplementary Material”. To guarantee a rapid refereeing and editorial process, Buildings follows standard publication practices in the natural sciences. Scope Buildings covers the following scope of research: architecture architectural/building engineering design building construction construction management building materials energy and buildings building operations building physics building structures building mechanical systems building lighting systems green buildings building/facility management the philosophy, art and science of architecture designing the linkages and interactions between the built environment and ecology, natural resources, climate, local communities, public policy, and economic development