The construction industry is increasingly focusing on sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions to reduce its carbon emissions and material consumption. The emergence of economically viable renewable technologies has sparked hope for decarbonizing the sector. In the past decade, discussions regarding building energy efficiency have been conducted in governmental bodies such as the EU Commission, leading to the proposal and approval of protocols like nearly zero energy buildings. A thorough literature review on the application of renewable technologies in households and operational management was performed. Due to the intermittent nature of solar energy, integrating photovoltaic panels with storage technologies offers users greater energy independence from the grid, leading to monthly savings on energy costs. In addition, these systems help to mitigate peak loads on the electricity grid. However, these technologies have a high initial investment, which is unattractive to many users. As such, the correct sizing of the equipment for a household is essential to make it attractive to the end-user. Simulation tools are non-expensive fundamental tools for insight into the topic. Advancements in these and home energy management systems are covered in this work.