Evaluation the impact of passive and active strategies on energy efficiency of public buildings: A comprehensive review

This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the energy efficiency of public buildings, as this sector accounts for 30% of global final energy consumption and 26% of global energy-related emissions. The purpose is to identify the main indicators, methods, and strategies considered as the most relevant to assessing and ensuring energy efficiency within this challenging segment. To ensure energy efficiency, the following three requirements must be met: reducing the building's energy consumption, enhancing the thermal comfort of its occupants, and decreasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify relevant peer-reviewed articles and documents published in the last decade from several scientific databases. The first section of this review is dedicated to listing the key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics frequently deployed to represent the three components of energy efficiency, along with their traditional and recent assessment methods. The following section provides an overview of passive design strategies related to the performance of the building envelope, as well as active strategies aimed at improving the performance of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems inside buildings. Their impact on energy efficiency is also reviewed. Finally, future research recommendations were stated, emphasizing the importance of cost-effectiveness, occupants’ attitudes, and climate change in developing an integral approach to building energy efficiency.