Review calls for urban building energy modelling to become civic infrastructure

Urban building energy modelling, known as UBEM, needs to evolve from a specialist simulation tool into civic infrastructure, according to a review in Nature Reviews Electrical Engineering reported by Bioengineer.org. The paper states that buildings sit at the centre of energy and climate challenges, yet the energy life of entire building stocks remains largely invisible. [1]

Bioengineer.org reported that building energy demand is scattered across cities and shaped by both weather and human behaviour. Access to detailed household data is further restricted by privacy rules that shield household consumption from view. [1]

The review argues that UBEM is the tool capable of making hidden energy demand visible across whole cities. The field currently faces a decisive test driven by the dual challenges of climate change and widespread electrification. [1]

Building information modeling, or BIM, involves generating and managing digital representations of the physical and functional characteristics of buildings. These digital models support decision making across planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance for infrastructure including electricity and communication utilities [2]. [2]