Evolution of Green Building Concepts: From Energy Saving to Net Zero – A Review

Unofficial AI-generated summary based on the public title and abstract. Not an official translation.

🔬研究者:Provides a comprehensive historical overview and integrated framework useful for structuring future research on building decarbonization.

🏢実務担当者:Offers a roadmap of standards and technologies for corporate sustainability teams in real estate and construction to align with net-zero targets.

🏛政策担当者:Identifies policy drivers and rating system evolution that can inform building code updates and green building incentives.

The building sector accounts for a substantial share of global energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and natural resource depletion, making it central to achieving international climate and sustainability objectives. Over the last five decades, the philosophy of building design has evolved considerably—from a narrow emphasis on reducing operational energy consumption following the 1970s energy crisis to the contemporary ambition of developing Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs), Net Zero Carbon Buildings (NZCBs), and regenerative buildings that generate positive environmental impacts. This review examines the historical evolution of green building concepts, highlighting the technological, environmental, policy, and socioeconomic factors that have shaped successive generations of sustainable building development. Drawing upon recent literature, international policy frameworks, and global green building practices, the paper critically analyses the transition from energy-efficient buildings to sustainable buildings, high-performance buildings, green-certified buildings, carbon-neutral buildings, and finally net zero and regenerative buildings. The review further explores the development of international building rating systems including LEED, BREEAM, GRIHA, IGBC, Green Star, and EDGE, demonstrating their role in accelerating sustainable construction worldwide. Recent advances in digital technologies, Building Information Modelling (BIM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Twins, Internet of Things (IoT), renewable energy integration, smart grids, embodied carbon assessment, and life-cycle thinking are also discussed as critical enablers of next-generation green buildings. The paper proposes an integrated conceptual framework illustrating the evolutionary pathway from energy conservation to climate-positive buildings while identifying the principal technological, environmental, economic, and policy drivers influencing this transition. Finally, emerging research directions involving circular economy principles, regenerative architecture, climate resilience, carbon-negative materials, and AI-enabled autonomous building management are presented. The review provides researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and industry professionals with a comprehensive understanding of how green building philosophies have evolved and where future sustainable construction is likely to progress.

• semanticscholar https://www.ijtas.com/papers/2026/4/1361.pdffirst seen 2026-07-03 05:36:20