Renewable Energy Integration for Net-Zero Buildings: Challenges, Opportunities, and Strategic Pathways

Abstract

Buildings account for nearly 40% of global energy use and 36% of CO2 emissions, positioning Net-Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) as vital for climate mitigation. However, large-scale adoption remains limited by technical, economic, and policy barriers. This study systematically reviews 1285 peer-reviewed articles (2015–2025) from Scopus and Web of Science, following PRISMA guidelines and thematic analysis to assess renewable energy integration and efficiency strategies. Results indicate that 70% of studies highlight emissions reduction and cost savings as key NZEB benefits, while 60% cite high storage costs and 45% report grid integration challenges. Only 30% of studies address policy dependency, revealing a research gap. Effective measures include passive solar design (up to 25% heating load reduction), high-performance envelopes (15–40% energy savings), and smart energy management (10–20% efficiency gains). Persistent obstacles involve high upfront costs, renewable variability, and rapid technological obsolescence. Achieving NZEB viability requires integrating energy-efficient design, affordable renewables, advanced storage, and coherent policy frameworks to accelerate the transition toward a sustainable, NZEB-built environment.