Buildings have significant potential to reduce energy use and increase the share of renewable energy, and the building sector is currently experiencing a significant transformation, driven by the urgent need for decarbonization and the increased use of renewable energy sources. Countries worldwide are pursuing policies to move towards the next generation of more energy-efficient and low-carbon green buildings. In order to achieve net-zero energy buildings or plus-zero energy buildings, renewable energy integration is considered to be an important approach. However, the complexity of building energy systems, the variability of renewable energy production, as well as the increasing prevalence of electrified equipment introduce significant challenges to energy management in buildings. This paper presents a brief review of the new trends in building energy developments and various technological considerations that should be taken into account in the decision-making process for the development of next-generation buildings. The paper particularly focuses on intelligent building energy technologies that enhance energy efficiency, and some future research directions in building energy studies are also discussed.