Research Progress on Carbon Emissions of Public Buildings: A Visual Analysis and Review

Abstract

As the global climate continues to change, lowering carbon emissions of public buildings (CEPB) is essential for reducing carbon emissions from the construction sector. Exploring the current status of the field is crucial to improving the effort to reduce CEPB. CiteSpace and VOSviewer are used in this research to visualize the literature on CEPB from the Web of Science Core Collection from 2002 to 2022, including an overview, collaborations, and keywords, as well as references. The paper then analyzes and reviews the research processes of CEPB in conjunction with the visualization results and the collation of information from the literature. The results show that the current research hotspots include (1) theoretical research and simulation modeling, (2) energy systems, (3) materials, (4) public building retrofitting, (5) the main factors that contribute to the reduction in CEPB. Architectural features and structures and digital technology are the frontiers of research in the field of CEPB. In general, there is still sufficient space to develop in the field. These findings intuitively encapsulate the valuable information and inherent value of a significant body of literature, which can help researchers quickly understand the field and provide some references.