In anticipation of both climate change and global urbanization, we conduct research of microclimate impacts on energy systems. Researchers analyze and quantify the relationships among modeled and measured climatic conditions, urban morphology, land cover and energy use; and use these relationships to inform energy-efficient urban development and planning. Researchers apply i) neighborhood resolution modeling and simulation of urban micrometeorological processes; ii) projections informed by microclimate for future energy use under different urbanization and climate change scenarios; to produce iii) analysis and visualization tools to help planners optimally use these projections to identify best strategies for energy-efficient urban morphological development.

While building energy modeling (BEM) is most widely used for building design, there are several other important applications of BEM. These include building energy code development, energy efficiency policy development, utility integrated resource planning and demand side management modeling, design, and implementation support. This seminar presents case studies of application of BEM, specifically Urban Building Energy Modeling (UBEM), for utility analytics.

With the advent of easily created urban scale reality models, creating Urban Building Energy Models (UBEM) has never been easier. This presentation demonstrates how an UBEM can be used to visualize and report on building energy consumption at urban scale. By combining building energy benchmark data with an urban scale reality mesh, users can quickly classify, visualize and report urban building energy consumption. This virtual navigation of the City of Philadelphia demonstrates how UBEM can be used to measure, analyze and report readily available benchmark data.