An Overview Of Urban Building Energy Modelling (UBEM) Tools

Abstract

The construction of energy-efficient buildings and the planning of suitable energy supply systems are fundamental undertakings to reach a more sustainable future. Decision-makers need evaluation criteria and possible scenarios to establish the best options to decrease cities’ energy consumption. Thus, in the last decade, several tools for Urban Building Energy Modelling (UBEM) have been developed to achieve this result. The aim of this paper is to give a practical overview of the different methods and approaches used by UBEM. The work compares the available and most relevant UBEM tools, to assess their potential and limits. The characteristics of the main UBEM tools are compared with the intent to create a brief selection guide for new users.