Challenges Facing the Application of Zero-Energy Homes in Saudi Arabia : Construction Industry and User Perspective

The construction sector in Saudi Arabia is led by domestic buildings that impose enormous energy and environmental challenges for the country. The domestic sector is responsible for 52% of the total national electricity consumption. Statistics suggest that the majority of the current construction projects are related to domestic buildings. In addition, the number of domestic buildings is growing rapidly as statistics suggest that in order to meet the needs of the rising population the country needs to build 2.32 million new homes by 2020. In order to promote sustainable development it is vital to move towards energy efficient and environmentally friendly buildings. The Zero-Energy Homes (ZEHs) can be proposed in order to overcome the energy and environmental problems within the residential sector. The concept of ZEHs has not yet been taken up in Saudi Arabia due to some obstacles. This article looks into the issues hindering the application of ZEHs in Saudi Arabia both from the construction industry and general public (termed as users) perspectives. In this respect various stakeholders including users, architects, engineers, project managers, contractors, and investors have been surveyed to identify various barriers. The article presents the key findings of the survey based upon the responses gathered from 453 user and 122 industrial representatives.