This year, 2021, marks the 70th since Materiales de Construcción was founded. That milestone is fruit of the enthusiastic efforts of its management and editorial committees, of the editorial support afforded by both the Eduardo Torroja Institute for Construction Science and the National Research Council’s publications division (Editorial CSIC) and of the engagement of authors and scientific and linguistic reviewers. In its seventy years of life, the journal has progressed through a number of stages characterised by substantial editorial change and significant growth in visibility, internationalisation and quality.
Most significantly, the subject matter of the articles submitted has changed in parallel with the challenges facing today’s society and its sustainability and eco-efficiency targets. An ever larger proportion of papers are being submitted on the reuse of waste and/or industrial by-products in cementitious materials, their effect on the environment, green concretes and alkali-activated cements or geopolymers, among others. Nonetheless, the presence of other types of building materials has likewise risen steadily, from clay-based and macadam-based materials to timber and glass, as has the number of contributions on the conservation of the built heritage.
The geography of authors’ affiliations has also broadened, particularly since 2006 when the journal migrated to Open Access and 2014 with the publication of its digital English language edition, which has proved to be a major driver of international visibility. That enhanced international presence has prompted a rise in the number of submissions from both Spanish and offshore institutions, with a concomitant scaleup of the journal’s impact factor.
Materiales de Construcción has been known and reputed throughout its 70-year lifetime for its high scientific and editorial quality. It is presently listed in the most prominent national and international databases (Web of Science: Journal Citation Reports (JCR) and Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI); SCOPUS, CWTS Leiden Ranking Journal (Journal indicators), REDIB and DOAJ, among others) and complies with all the editorial quality standards defined by Latindex. It also bears the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) seal of editorial quality since 2014.
Nonetheless, aware that we still have a long road ahead we have set ambitious goals for the future, geared especially to improving editorial management with the online platform, raising visibility through social networks and our website, adhering to our quality standards and raising the journal’s impact.
I feel honoured to be Editor-in-Chief at such a critical moment in the journal’s life. To perform my everyday tasks in pursuit of those goals, I have the indispensable support of our Editorial Board Secretary José Luis García Calvo and the members of the Board and of the Advisory Council, all of whom contribute eagerly to the journal’s ongoing enhancement. At the same time, I feel greatly fortunate to benefit from the know-how shared by Nacho Pérez Alcalde, manager of Editorial CSIC’s electronic publications. Not to mention, of course, the inestimable advice and counsel generously provided by Professor Francisca Puertas, the journal’s Honorary Editor-in-Chief, friend and co-editor of this special issue.
In acknowledgement of the unquestionable support received from the Eduardo Torroja Institute for Construction Science management and Editorial CSIC, we asked IETcc Director Ángel Castillo and Editorial CSIC Director Pura Fernández to each prepare an editorial. You are cordially invited to read their contributions, along with the text authored by Francisca Puertas.
By way of concluding remarks I have only to thank all the people who made these 70 years possible, the ones present at the outset and the ones who still stand behind the journal’s endeavour: reviewers, authors, linguistic editor, typesetters… My very best wishes on this, our anniversary, and for many more to come.