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The building energy performance gap is a critical obstacle to emissions reduction and energy conservation. Previous research mainly focused on identifying the factors contributing to the building energy performance gap (BEPG). Such studies have tended toward an inward-looking perspective that treats impact factors in isolation from one another. In reality, most factors are interrelated and associated with energy-related stakeholders. To address this research gap, this research developed a social network analysis model to investigate the underlying network of stakeholder-related influencing factors. According to nodal degree, status centrality, betweenness centrality, and brokerage roles, 21 factors and 14 links that substantially influence other factors directly or indirectly are identified. Six challenges, including "Challenges to knowledge and experience," "Challenges in determining who is responsible for BEPG among stakeholders," "Cost challenges," "Poor quality challenges," "Challenges to building operation management," and "Information integrity challenges," are further identified. Moreover, six strategies that are useful in controlling and eliminating influencing factors and interactions are proposed. The results show that, after the proposed strategies were conducted, the density and cohesion of the network are reduced by 48.28% and 11.62%, respectively, and the top ten betweenness centrality values for the nodes and links are reduced by at least 30%. This research is expected to aid not only researchers in better understanding the intricate interrelationships among the factors influencing BEPG but also practitioners in effectively controlling the influencing factors of BEPG. [Display omitted] • Influencing factors are situated closely in a dense network. • Factors related to designers and contractors considerably affect the network. • Communication helps to bridge the gap between diverse stakeholder groups. • Poor communication substantially affects adjacent factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]