High-resolution, spatial thermal energy demand analysis and workflow for a city district

Despite significant densification of the urban building stock by 88% in Graz, Austria, thermal energy demand for heating and hot water only increases slightly by 4%, while cooling demand surges dramatically by 432%. This counterintuitive finding stems from a novel high-resolution, multi-tool workflow developed for large-scale urban building energy modeling. The approach combines bottom-up, white box methods to simulate full-year dynamic thermal demands with spatial precision, providing hourly and annual data in accessible map formats. Such tools are critical for stakeholders aiming to meet net-zero CO2-equivalent emission targets by offering actionable insights into current and future scenarios.

Edtmayer, H., Fochler, L.-M., Mach, T., Fauster, J., Schwab, E., & Hochenauer, C. (2023). High-resolution, spatial thermal energy demand analysis and workflow for a city district. International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management, 38, 47–64. https://doi.org/10.54337/ijsepm.7570