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The purpose of this study is to identify an objective energy performance assessment method in Korea, and to build a building information modelling (BIM) based system that can assess the energy performance of buildings.

The energy performance assessment methods currently used in Korea were first identified via a literature review. A system was then implemented to solve the problem of objectivity. The system was implemented through a data‐based building information model, instead of the existing method of documented two‐dimensional (2D) CAD. In addition, Revit Architecture (a BIM tool), MS Access, and Visual Basic (VB) were used to implement the system. To verify the system's efficiency, it was compared to the existing method by applying both to an actual case (a school facility).

This study found that the issue of subjectivity in the Korean energy performance assessment method may be resolved with a data‐based BIM.

This study presented the BIM‐EPAS to reduce errors and the time needed to conduct an energy performance assessment. In order to follow a realistic approach, the BIM‐EPAS was applied to an actual assessment case, thereby verifying the system's applicability.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the adoption process of high performance building technologies, including alternative wall systems, in hot‐humid climates. Challenges faced by homebuilders adopting high performance building technologies, and resulting energy performance are discussed.

The paper is a case study of four homebuilders using high performance building technologies, including advanced framing, panelised and modular. For each homebuilder, a baseline and a demonstration house were evaluated for energy performance and technology adoption. Homebuilders were interviewed to identify implementation challenges and barriers faced during the construction process.

The advanced framing, modular and panelised houses used 50 percent, 42 percent, and 35 percent less energy when compared to the traditional stick‐built. Further, the modular appeared to have the greatest opportunity to boost performance for least cost. Participating builders identified cost as the top constraint to a wide adoption of high performance criteria, followed by a slow learning curve and the lack of proper marketing channels to transition from construction to sale.

Several limitations of the research restrict generalisation of findings: results are based on a small sample of homebuilders; and results reflect energy performance in a hot and humid climate. It is likely that relative energy usage will change as the size, scope, and design complexity of the common element changes.

Findings from this study will contribute to a better understanding of the usability of high performance technologies and ease the transition towards implementing high performance criteria into every builder company's culture.

The purpose of this study is to quantify the energy heating performance of apartment buildings in Kosovo built after 2003 and compare it against the energy heating performance of buildings in member states of EU and selected European countries.

This paper takes a case study approach focussed on the assessment of the heating energy performance of the building. This approach facilitated a detailed calculation of the selected materials’ energy performance used in a representative building structure in Kosovo comparing with passive buildings standard and energy heating performance of buildings in member states of EU and selected European countries.

Results of quantitative research find that the energy heating performance of apartment buildings in Kosovo built after 2003 is far higher than that of passive buildings standard and is better than the average annual energy heating performance of apartment buildings in member states of the EU and selected European countries.

The research provides new knowledge regarding energy heating performance in new residential buildings in Kosovo and compares the findings with earlier research and energy consumption in other selected European countries. The research provides great benefits for researchers and practitioners working in the field of energy management as it compares the energy performance of residential buildings across Europe.

This paper provides a perspective on investigating the energy performance of a building structure of a residential apartment building in Prishtina, Kosovo. By unveiling the level of energy consumption of a residential apartment building in Kosovo representative of the new construction period can help the facility managers to acknowledge the standards they must achieve to refurbish the old building stock to achieve at least the same standard as the buildings in the new construction period.

Global warming and climate change is one of the biggest issues facing humanity in this century; its effects are felt on the highest peaks of Mount Everest to the low-lying islands in the India Ocean. This century marked the highest amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emitted, breaking records of the past 650,000 years, and we have pushed the climate to “a point of no return”. Much of the climate contribution has been linked to humanity’s thirst for higher living standards and lifestyle, which has led to higher consumerism, depletion of earth’s resources, production of massive waste and carbon emissions. Fast forward from the sustainability agenda of Brundtland set in 1987 and the increasing demand for energy consumption to cater for the current global inhabitants, many “green” efforts have been taken by the building industry to reduce the overall environmental impact. This purpose of this study is to compare energy performance of a conventional office building with a green certified building.

This paper tries to bridge the performance gap by comparing measured operational energy consumption and carbon emission of Green Building Index (GBI)-certified office buildings in Kuala Lumpur, to determine whether “green buildings” are performing as intended in reducing their environmental impact.

This paper highlighted and compared operational energy consumption and carbon emissions of a GBI-certified office with a conventional office building in Malaysia. The paper also discusses the performance gap issue and its common causes, and aims to compare predicted energy and operational energy performance of buildings.

Initiatives such as “green” or “sustainable” design have been at the forefront of architecture, while green assessment tools have been used to predict the energy performance of a building during its operational phase. There is still a significant performance gap between predicted or simulated energy measurements to actual operational energy consumption. The need to measure actual performance of these so-called “green buildings” is important to investigate if there is a performance gap and whether these buildings can perform better than conventional buildings. Understanding why the performance gap occurs is a step in reducing actual and predicted energy performance in buildings.

To establish national energy performance benchmarks and an energy efficiency classification system for commercial office buildings from whole building to sub‐systems level for building professionals including facility managers.

Issuing of survey form and questionnaires to 16 building owners before field interview. Building physical data and systems nameplate, quantities and types were verified on site. The past 24 months electricity consumption bills were also collected from building owners. Physical environmental conditions and short‐term power measurement on building systems were done to determine the level of energy consumption and performance.

The classification and benchmarking methodology developed is useful for the regions to establish their own database and tools.

The building energy performance assessment and auditing methodology are useful to both building owner/manager and energy services companies (ESCOs) in carrying out systematic assessment and analysis on building energy characteristics. The benchmark system established will also serve as a reference to building professionals to adopt a more holistic approach in designing an energy efficient building. Useful also for building owners who are considering carrying out retrofitting works on their existing building or systems.

The study provides detailed whole building and systems benchmarks for Singapore. The results provide an objective evaluation system of commercial office building energy performance.

The aim of this paper is to discuss a selection of policy strategies, regional initiatives and market approaches to uncover the realities of twenty-first-century building energy performance. A position that market-based approaches, human influence and policy interventions are part of an ecosystem of building energy performance is presented.

An exploratory search of secondary sources spanning the last three decades was conducted. Both peer-reviewed and grey literature were included to capture a broader understanding of the discourse in literature. Research questions guided the literature search, and a data extraction tool was designed to categorise the literature. The primary limitation of this study is that only a few applications could be discussed in a condensed format.

Several challenges about the current status quo of building energy performance were identified and summarised as follows. (1) Inconsistencies in measurement and verification protocols, (2) Impacts of market approaches, (3) National policy priorities that are at variance with regional targets and (4) Ambiguous reporting on environmental impacts of energy efficiency (EE) technologies.

The practical implications of the findings in this paper for practice and research are that as part of the building energy performance ecosystem, national responses through government interventions must become adaptive to keep up with the fast-paced energy sector and social trends. Simultaneously, before market-based approaches overcome the messiness of socio-economic dynamics, institutional conditions and cultural nuances, they ought to transparently address environmental impacts and the infringement of several SDGs before they can become viable solutions to building energy performance.

This paper presents building energy performance as an ecosystem comprising human influence, market-based approaches and policy interventions which form interdependent parts of the whole. However, evidence in the literature shows that these aspects are usually investigated separately. By presenting them as an ecosystem, this paper contributes to the discourse by advocating the need to re-align building energy performance to socio-economic-political dynamics and contextually viable solutions.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the regulatory barriers to achieving sustainable buildings in Kosovo. The present paper focuses on regulatory barriers viewed from the perspective of construction industry experts in achieving sustainable buildings.

The present study uses a qualitative research method and semi-structured interviews as a research instrument. The present study interviews around 20 experts in construction and property management, property development, spatial planning and energy management.

The study finds that Kosovo building laws and regulations provide for the materials assessment criteria, but the materials assessment criteria are only for mechanic strength. The study further finds that the sustainability concept is not included and incorporated in Kosovo's urban planning laws and regulations. The study also finds that despite specific clauses mentioning energy performance certificates in the Law on Energy Performance of Buildings in Kosovo, energy performance certificates appears to be not enforced and the nature of the barrier is more organizational rather than regulatory. Finally, the study finds that Kosovo laws are silent as far as green labeling of building materials is concerned.

The implication of the present finding is that policymakers in Kosovo not only should include clear sustainable materials assessment criteria in the law, but also enforce those criteria through testing and inspection mechanisms included in the law and implemented in practice through funding and organizational support. Nonetheless, policymakers in Kosovo should contemplate amending the urban planning laws in Kosovo and include both the term of sustainability at the planning level and conformity guidelines for sustainable design that can be done at the administrative directive level. Further, the clauses in the law do not suffice if the clauses are not accompanied by specific systemic and organizational support in the issuance of energy performance certificates. Policymakers in Kosovo should be proactive in designing clauses that specify green labeling standards for materials; however, these labeling standards should not adversely affect the cost of construction and reduce the demand for real estate.

The study is the first qualitative study about the perception of construction professionals in Kosovo, regarding the regulatory barriers of sustainable buildings in Kosovo.

Refurbishing houses is considered a key measure to improve the energy efficiency of the built environment. However, little is known about the implementation and outcome of housing renovation for energy upgrades in the Vietnamese practice. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the energy performance of the current housing stock in Vietnam and the potential to reduce energy use in households.

The paper is based on a survey with 153 respondents in three major climatic regions of Vietnam. The survey focusses on building characteristics, environmental performance, energy performance and refurbishment activities. Data collected from the survey were statistically analysed to give insight into the current performance of the housing stock and its energy saving potential.

This paper concludes that building design and construction, particularly the building envelope, have a significant influence on the occupants’ comfort. However, the energy consumption in houses is not statistically associated with building design and indoor environment. It is suggested that financial status and occupants’ behaviour currently have a strong influence on the household energy use. The survey also showed that refurbishment improves the housing performance, especially if improving the indoor environment was one of the drivers.

There are very few studies on energy use in households in Vietnam, especially with regards to actual energy consumption. This paper brings insights into the actual energy consumption and reveals the “performance gap” in Vietnamese housing stock.

Building energy performance is a key element when assessing the sustainability, or otherwise, of the built environment. However, the prescriptive nature of current approaches to sustainability assessment stultifies innovative approaches to sustainable building design. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how a current EU FP7‐funded project, entitled “IntUBE – Intelligent Use of Buildings' Energy Information,” will contribute to improving the measurement and evaluation of building energy performance. The paper also seeks to highlight the potential offered by the energy‐profiling tools and techniques being developed as part of the project to contribute to the assessment of sustainable urban development.

The IntUBE project is developing new methods of integrating the information and communication technologies (ICTs) used in the design and operation of buildings, with the aim of facilitating improvements in the energy performance of buildings and the measurement of that performance. To do so, the project will develop new methods and tools which integrate design phase and operational phase energy profiling.

Integrating the ICTs used to assess the design and operation of buildings could significantly improve the way in which the energy performance of buildings is assessed. However, there are many barriers to the adoption of the energy‐profiling software tools designed for professional use. This is problematic because a more generalised uptake of these tools is essential to improving the measurement and evaluation of building energy performance.

It is important that the energy‐profiling tools and techniques developed within the IntUBE project ameliorate as many of the barriers to the adoption of the energy‐profiling software tools as possible. To do so new approaches to the following are under development; the integration of building information model authoring software and energy simulation software, the integration of simulation and real‐time data‐capturing sensors, and evaluating and selecting amongst the design alternatives offered by energy simulation software.

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) 2002/91/EC introduced various obligatory requirements intended to achieve the reduction of use of energy resources in buildings. This directive had to be transposed into national legislation by the EU member states. Concurrently the European Committee for Standardisation developed a number of technical standards to assist member states to define the methodology for the calculation of the energy performance of buildings. The purpose of this paper is to present a comparative review of the relationship between the European directive and the standards, and the different country legislation and methodologies that have been implemented in Malta, Italy, Spain and Cyprus.

The analysis is based on a review of national legislation in the four states. Reference is also made to publications by the Concerted Action for the EPBD and to related publications by the national bodies responsible for the implementation of the EPBD. These include the Ministry for Economic Development in Italy, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism in Cyprus, the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs in Malta, and the Ministries of Industry Tourism and Commerce and of Housing in Spain.

This paper analyses and compares the implementation of the directive using the above‐mentioned sources. In so doing, it focuses on general principles rather than on the specific technical requirements for the calculation method in the various states. The paper then considers the implementation of these general principles within each state before finally drawing conclusions about whether legislation relating to the original Directive 2002/91/EC is meeting its objectives and the implications relating to the requirements of the recast Directive 2010/31/EC.

The introduction of the directive in the states considered has taken place slowly and gradually over the last three to four years. There are few publications relating to the actual implementation of the directive, and this limits the possibility of comparison of sources.

The relationship between the EPBD and the milder climate experienced in the Mediterranean is considered to be of great importance, particularly since world temperatures are slowly rising. However, it is acknowledged that insufficient research has been carried out on the energy performance of buildings in this region. This paper investigates the existing legal structures that have been put into place to implement the EPBD and the effectiveness of this implementation to date.