Energy sustainability of construction industry in Ukraine: awareness, actions, and barriers

The objective of the article is to assess how sustainable construction, grounded in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Zero Carbon Footprint principles, can guide Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. Methodology: mixed-methods design combining a stakeholder survey and semi-structured interviews with an LCA of a representative public building using One Click LCA. Results: the case study achieves a 56.6% cut in annual energy use (1 214 000 → 527 150 kWh); district heating and stationary fuels dominate CO₂ (55.7% and 44.3%). Survey evidence shows limited LCA awareness and low practical uptake; key barriers are insufficient financial incentives and incomplete regulation. Discussion: we argue for alignment with EU standards, prioritizing thermal retrofits, heating-system modernization, professional training, and targeted incentives to accelerate adoption. Embedding LCA in energy management delivers environmental and economic co-benefits and strengthens infrastructure resilience. This study is based on a sample of n = 45 respondents, with a functional unit defined as the building’s operational energy performance over 60 years.