Potential uses of renewable energy in construction: Advantages and challenges

The construction industry accounts for a high percentage of the total global energy consumption, placing it among the main sectors contributing to climate change, pollution, and energy-related problems. This fact has placed tremendous pressure on the construction industry to find solutions to this crucial problem and shift to more sustainable, energy-efficient, and cost-effective construction practices. In this study, the importance of using renewable energy in the construction sector, particularly building construction, is highlighted and a review of some emerging practices in using renewable energy in construction is presented. The paper also presents the various sources of renewable energy and their applications in construction along with their advantages and drawbacks. The paper highlights the importance of establishing standards and regulations related to the use of renewable energy in building projects.