A review of building parameters’ roles in conserving energy versus maintaining comfort

Building operations constitute a significant amount of energy consumption globally. Although approaches to optimise energy consumption have emerged, maintaining comfort for building occupants has been a challenge. To address this challenge, the current paper presents a thorough review and analysis of advancements related to optimising energy consumption in buildings while maintaining occupants' comfort. Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method, this review identifies challenges and future research opportunities in this domain. The findings reveal that three main elements contribute to a building's overall energy performance: they are occupant behaviour, building envelope, and building energy systems. The literature about the three elements is discussed, based on latest trends, modelling approaches, and existing challenges. This review paper contributes to the body of knowledge by highlighting recent advancements, identifying research challenges, and discussing potential areas for future research.