IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v13y2020i16p4244-d399884.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Data for Urban Scale Building Energy Modelling: Assessing Impacts and Overcoming Availability Challenges

Author

Listed:
  • Solène Goy

    (School of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland)

  • François Maréchal

    (Industrial Process and Energy Systems Engineering (IPESE), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1951 Sion, Switzerland)

  • Donal Finn

    (School of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland)

Abstract

Data are essential to urban building energy models and yet, obtaining sufficient and accurate building data at a large-scale is challenging. Previous studies have highlighted that the data impact on urban case studies has not been sufficiently discussed. This paper addresses this gap by providing an analysis of the impact of input data on building energy modelling at an urban scale. The paper proposes a joint review of data impact and data accessibility to identify areas where future survey efforts should be concentrated. Moreover, a Morris sensitivity analysis is carried out on a large-scale residential case study, to rank input parameters by impact on space heating demand. This paper shows that accessible data impact the whole modelling process, from approach selection to model replicability. The sensitivity analysis shows that the setpoint and thermal characteristics were the most impactful for the case study considered. Solutions proposed to overcome availability and accessibility issues include organising annual workshops between data users and data owners, or developing online databases that could be populated on a volunteer-basis by data owners. Overall, overcoming data challenges is essential for the transition towards smarter cities, and will require an improved communication between all city stakeholders.

Suggested Citation

  • Solène Goy & François Maréchal & Donal Finn, 2020. "Data for Urban Scale Building Energy Modelling: Assessing Impacts and Overcoming Availability Challenges," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-23, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:16:p:4244-:d:399884
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/16/4244/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/16/4244/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Li, Wenliang & Zhou, Yuyu & Cetin, Kristen & Eom, Jiyong & Wang, Yu & Chen, Gang & Zhang, Xuesong, 2017. "Modeling urban building energy use: A review of modeling approaches and procedures," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 2445-2457.
    2. Ballarini, Ilaria & Corgnati, Stefano Paolo & Corrado, Vincenzo, 2014. "Use of reference buildings to assess the energy saving potentials of the residential building stock: The experience of TABULA project," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 273-284.
    3. Enrico Fabrizio & Valentina Monetti, 2015. "Methodologies and Advancements in the Calibration of Building Energy Models," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-27, March.
    4. Heiselberg, Per & Brohus, Henrik & Hesselholt, Allan & Rasmussen, Henrik & Seinre, Erkki & Thomas, Sara, 2009. "Application of sensitivity analysis in design of sustainable buildings," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(9), pages 2030-2036.
    5. Alaia Sola & Cristina Corchero & Jaume Salom & Manel Sanmarti, 2018. "Simulation Tools to Build Urban-Scale Energy Models: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-24, November.
    6. Semple, Sally & Jenkins, David, 2020. "Variation of energy performance certificate assessments in the European Union," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    7. Pasichnyi, Oleksii & Wallin, Jörgen & Levihn, Fabian & Shahrokni, Hossein & Kordas, Olga, 2019. "Energy performance certificates — New opportunities for data-enabled urban energy policy instruments?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 486-499.
    8. Allegrini, Jonas & Orehounig, Kristina & Mavromatidis, Georgios & Ruesch, Florian & Dorer, Viktor & Evins, Ralph, 2015. "A review of modelling approaches and tools for the simulation of district-scale energy systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1391-1404.
    9. Keirstead, James & Jennings, Mark & Sivakumar, Aruna, 2012. "A review of urban energy system models: Approaches, challenges and opportunities," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(6), pages 3847-3866.
    10. Foucquier, Aurélie & Robert, Sylvain & Suard, Frédéric & Stéphan, Louis & Jay, Arnaud, 2013. "State of the art in building modelling and energy performances prediction: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 272-288.
    11. Fumo, Nelson, 2014. "A review on the basics of building energy estimation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 53-60.
    12. Swan, Lukas G. & Ugursal, V. Ismet, 2009. "Modeling of end-use energy consumption in the residential sector: A review of modeling techniques," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(8), pages 1819-1835, October.
    13. Majcen, D. & Itard, L.C.M. & Visscher, H., 2013. "Theoretical vs. actual energy consumption of labelled dwellings in the Netherlands: Discrepancies and policy implications," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 125-136.
    14. Wang, Zeyu & Srinivasan, Ravi S., 2017. "A review of artificial intelligence based building energy use prediction: Contrasting the capabilities of single and ensemble prediction models," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 796-808.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Valeria Todeschi & Roberto Boghetti & Jérôme H. Kämpf & Guglielmina Mutani, 2021. "Evaluation of Urban-Scale Building Energy-Use Models and Tools—Application for the City of Fribourg, Switzerland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-22, February.
    2. Simone Ferrari & Federica Zagarella & Paola Caputo & Giuliano Dall’O’, 2021. "A GIS-Based Procedure for Estimating the Energy Demand Profiles of Buildings towards Urban Energy Policies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-16, September.
    3. Małgorzata Szulgowska-Zgrzywa & Ewelina Stefanowicz & Agnieszka Chmielewska & Krzysztof Piechurski, 2023. "Detailed Analysis of the Causes of the Energy Performance Gap Using the Example of Apartments in Historical Buildings in Wroclaw (Poland)," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-19, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gatt, Damien & Yousif, Charles & Cellura, Maurizio & Camilleri, Liberato & Guarino, Francesco, 2020. "Assessment of building energy modelling studies to meet the requirements of the new Energy Performance of Buildings Directive," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    2. Langevin, J. & Reyna, J.L. & Ebrahimigharehbaghi, S. & Sandberg, N. & Fennell, P. & Nägeli, C. & Laverge, J. & Delghust, M. & Mata, É. & Van Hove, M. & Webster, J. & Federico, F. & Jakob, M. & Camaras, 2020. "Developing a common approach for classifying building stock energy models," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    3. Shimoda, Yoshiyuki & Yamaguchi, Yohei & Iwafune, Yumiko & Hidaka, Kazuyoshi & Meier, Alan & Yagita, Yoshie & Kawamoto, Hisaki & Nishikiori, Soichi, 2020. "Energy demand science for a decarbonized society in the context of the residential sector," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    4. Alaia Sola & Cristina Corchero & Jaume Salom & Manel Sanmarti, 2018. "Simulation Tools to Build Urban-Scale Energy Models: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-24, November.
    5. Kazas, Georgios & Fabrizio, Enrico & Perino, Marco, 2017. "Energy demand profile generation with detailed time resolution at an urban district scale: A reference building approach and case study," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 243-262.
    6. Mavromatidis, Georgios & Orehounig, Kristina & Carmeliet, Jan, 2018. "A review of uncertainty characterisation approaches for the optimal design of distributed energy systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 258-277.
    7. Niemierko, Rochus & Töppel, Jannick & Tränkler, Timm, 2019. "A D-vine copula quantile regression approach for the prediction of residential heating energy consumption based on historical data," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 233, pages 691-708.
    8. Verena Weiler & Ursula Eicker, 2021. "Automatic energy demand and system simulation at district level," NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum | Sustainability Management Forum, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 133-141, June.
    9. Yanxia Li & Chao Wang & Sijie Zhu & Junyan Yang & Shen Wei & Xinkai Zhang & Xing Shi, 2020. "A Comparison of Various Bottom-Up Urban Energy Simulation Methods Using a Case Study in Hangzhou, China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-23, September.
    10. Oraiopoulos, A. & Howard, B., 2022. "On the accuracy of Urban Building Energy Modelling," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    11. Tanushree Charan & Christopher Mackey & Ali Irani & Ben Polly & Stephen Ray & Katherine Fleming & Rawad El Kontar & Nathan Moore & Tarek Elgindy & Dylan Cutler & Mostapha Sadeghipour Roudsari & David , 2021. "Integration of Open-Source URBANopt and Dragonfly Energy Modeling Capabilities into Practitioner Workflows for District-Scale Planning and Design," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-28, September.
    12. Yang, Xining & Hu, Mingming & Heeren, Niko & Zhang, Chunbo & Verhagen, Teun & Tukker, Arnold & Steubing, Bernhard, 2020. "A combined GIS-archetype approach to model residential space heating energy: A case study for the Netherlands including validation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    13. Viktor Bukovszki & Ábel Magyari & Marina Kristina Braun & Kitti Párdi & András Reith, 2020. "Energy Modelling as a Trigger for Energy Communities: A Joint Socio-Technical Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-44, May.
    14. Tomasz Szul & Krzysztof Nęcka & Stanisław Lis, 2021. "Application of the Takagi-Sugeno Fuzzy Modeling to Forecast Energy Efficiency in Real Buildings Undergoing Thermal Improvement," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, March.
    15. Papineau, Maya & Yassin, Kareman & Newsham, Guy & Brice, Sarah, 2021. "Conditional demand analysis as a tool to evaluate energy policy options on the path to grid decarbonization," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    16. Chou, Jui-Sheng & Tran, Duc-Son, 2018. "Forecasting energy consumption time series using machine learning techniques based on usage patterns of residential householders," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(PB), pages 709-726.
    17. Mastrucci, Alessio & Marvuglia, Antonino & Leopold, Ulrich & Benetto, Enrico, 2017. "Life Cycle Assessment of building stocks from urban to transnational scales: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 316-332.
    18. Abbasabadi, Narjes & Ashayeri, Mehdi & Azari, Rahman & Stephens, Brent & Heidarinejad, Mohammad, 2019. "An integrated data-driven framework for urban energy use modeling (UEUM)," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    19. Ye, Zhongnan & Cheng, Kuangly & Hsu, Shu-Chien & Wei, Hsi-Hsien & Cheung, Clara Man, 2021. "Identifying critical building-oriented features in city-block-level building energy consumption: A data-driven machine learning approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    20. Camille Pajot & Nils Artiges & Benoit Delinchant & Simon Rouchier & Frédéric Wurtz & Yves Maréchal, 2019. "An Approach to Study District Thermal Flexibility Using Generative Modeling from Existing Data," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-22, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:16:p:4244-:d:399884. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.