(3 Minutes Read)
In Tunisia, the residential and tertiary building sector stands out as the largest consumer of final energy in the country. It also leads in electricity consumption, underscoring a heavy reliance on traditional energy sources. Despite this, the adoption of sustainable energy solutions remains remarkably limited—particularly in a country that benefits from over 300 days of sunshine annually and, as of 2025, ranked as the sixth-largest African importer of Chinese-manufactured solar panels.
Recent data from Tunisia’s general population census reveals a strikingly low penetration of solar energy systems and thermal insulation in homes. Out of the 4.265 million dwellings recorded across the country, only 102,100 are equipped with photovoltaic (solar) energy systems. This represents a mere 3% of all residential units. The urban-rural divide is also evident: while 3.5% of urban homes have adopted solar power, this figure drops significantly to just 1.4% in rural areas.
The situation is even more critical when it comes to thermal insulation. Fewer than 1% of homes in Tunisia are equipped with any form of thermal protection, a basic element in improving a building’s energy efficiency and comfort levels. Additionally, only 6.8% of residential buildings are constructed using modern and environmentally sustainable materials, highlighting a broader gap in the adoption of green construction practices.
Given these realities, experts and policymakers emphasize that improving energy performance in Tunisia’s building sector requires urgent and targeted action. Priority should be placed on climate-appropriate architectural design, improved thermal efficiency of building envelopes, integration of renewable energy technologies such as solar power, and smarter, more integrated systems for managing energy consumption within buildings.
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https://trendsnafrica.com/kairouans-100-mw-solar-plant-boost-tunisias-green-transition/
With ample solar potential and growing access to renewable technologies, Tunisia holds significant untapped opportunities to transform its building sector into a model of energy efficiency and sustainability.
