Ranking the Barriers to the Energy Upgrading of Buildings Using the Best-Worst Method

Abstract

The global need to reduce energy demand has led European governments to accelerate their endeavors to achieve their targets regarding nearly zero-energy buildings. Despite the implementation of funding initiatives for the energy upgrading of buildings in EU member states and other European countries, research has shown that the absorption rates of the offered funds remain low. This research aims to assess the significance of the barriers to improving the energy efficiency of Greece’s building stock. This is achieved by ranking the identified barriers using the best-worst method (BWM). The innovation provided by this study is that the data obtained are based on the experience of three categories of stakeholders, including professionals in the field, i.e., engineers and skilled workers, and homeowners. The results show that all three groups are discouraged from performing the energy upgrading of buildings due to economic barriers but also technological barriers related to a lack of training in the use of and slow development of related new technologies.