Integrating optimization algorithms into simulation-based design processes is a promising approach for achieving energy efficient buildings. Building Energy Simulation and Optimization (BESO) is an emerging innovative technique that shows promise but is not yet a widely adopted design practice. To identify the needs, benefits, and hindrances of applying BESO to sustainable building design, particularly passive design, a two-part survey was conducted. A significant amount of attention was dedicated to analyzing the opinions of early adopters. Out of nine potential hindrances of the BESO technique, long calculation time, lack of adequate advertisement, and lack of a standard method or procedure are in the top three. Based on the survey results, a review was conducted to categorize a general procedure for the BESO technique. The application of the BESO technique to passive building design was investigated. The passive design components covered building forms, opaque envelopes, fenestrations, shadings, natural ventilation, and thermal mass materials. The review concludes that the three-phase optimization method was the most widely used method. Currently, compared to other passive design methods, BESO proved to be a more efficient method for helping designers (especially architects) explore various design territories. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.