Building archetype characterization for mass-housing energy efficiency through a UBEM approach

Building archetypes characterization is one of the main sources of inaccuracy in Urban Building Energy Modelling (UBEM). This study aims to implement an effective approach to developing a building archetype for estimating energy efficiency in social housing districts. The goal is to support researchers and decision-makers analyzing strategies for similar buildings, evaluate energy use in buildings, and design different retrofit scenarios. UBEM is a practical approach in large-scale building energy modeling used by researchers and stakeholders to analyze and develop different design and retrofit scenarios for buildings with similar construction features and occupancy. The archetype approach requires a subset of buildings representing a cluster with similar properties (e.g., building type, construction features, occupancy, and age), which is used to extrapolate the total energy consumption at the urban scale. The research focused on clusters of four in-line multi-story building types in Rome to conceptualize the study, characterized by reinforced concrete structures. The most diffused systems are the traditional building systems using a gas boiler and radiators for domestic hot water and heating. The model was implemented following a UBEM approach, relying on Urban Modeling Interface (UMI), a tool allowing the creation of building templates to evaluate their energy use at neighbourhood and city-scale. The overall results obtained in this study are described to characterize the archetype for the mass-housing building that researchers and administrations can use to evaluate different strategies for buildings with similar characteristics.