Mapping Housing Research as a Distinct Intellectual Niche Within Buildings: A Bibliometric Analysis (2011–2025)

Abstract

Housing research, a dynamic and multidisciplinary field within the built environment literature, has developed a substantial theoretical and empirical knowledge base. However, its thematic structure and intellectual evolution remain insufficiently mapped at specific publication venues. Drawing on data from the Web of Science Core Collection, this study presents a bibliometric analysis of 688 housing-related publications in Buildings (MDPI) between 2011 and 2025. Using performance analysis and science mapping techniques, it examines publication growth, country and institution contributions, author productivity, citation patterns, and keyword co-occurrence structures. China leads in productivity, accounting for 27.62% of total output, followed by Spain, the United Kingdom, and Italy. Thematic analyses show that thermal comfort, energy efficiency, and sustainability retain centrality, while social housing and housing affordability increasingly shape the research agenda. Building on prior studies of the journal’s thematic structure, this study provides a focused analysis of housing as a distinct research domain within Buildings, revealing a separate intellectual niche and offering a strategic framework for priorities such as energy performance in social housing and climate-responsive housing strategies.