A parametric sensitivity analysis of the influence of urban form on domestic energy consumption for heating and cooling in a Mediterranean city

Abstract The study presents the results of a parametric analysis of the impact of urban form on domestic energy consumption for heating and cooling. Three urban typologies, the pavilion, the slab and the perimeter urban block are examined using the dynamic building energy simulation software EnergyPlus. The simulation results are processed through a sensitivity analysis using the ‘standardised rank regression coefficients’ technique to determine the relative influence of the examined parameters on energy consumption. The study focuses on the Mediterranean city of Thessaloniki which has both heating and cooling requirements. The results support the argument that there is a synergy between the strategies of high urban compactness and passive solar design and that this synergy can be achieved at different urban densities.

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