A review of simulation-based urban form generation and optimization for energy-driven urban design

Publication date: 15 August 2017
Source:Building and Environment, Volume 121
Author(s): Zhongming Shi, Jimeno A. Fonseca, Arno Schlueter
This paper first defines the concept of energy-driven urban design. It aims to reveal synergies and trade-offs that may arise while designing urban areas for better energy performance. To facilitate urban planners and designers tackle these problems at the early stage of their work, this paper proposes the idea of simulation-based urban form generation and optimization modeling. It connects parametric models of urban form generation to an optimization engine coupled with a widely available program of energy systems. To build up the model of simulation-based urban form generation and optimization modeling, this paper reviews the state-of-the-art of simulation-based design generation and optimization modeling and discusses its application on energy-driven urban design at the district scale. The paper compares the main generative methods and presents their limitations and advantages to aid energy-driven urban design. For the urban form generation modeling, the paper also reviews the most relevant approaches to urban morphology. These approaches help to define the urban elements for the urban form generation. Most of the existing design generation and optimization models are observed to consist of a workflow, a generative method, and a series of generation constraints. Based on this, the paper proposes a model of simulation-based urban form generation and optimization modeling for energy-driven urban design. The model consists of a workflow with three steps, a collection step, the generation step, and the optimization step. The constraints yet need to be defined. At the district scale, the model also has to work at an appropriate resolution and precision.