Energy and urban built form: an empirical and statistical approach

• Published in: Building research and information : the international journal of research, development and demonstration Vol. 42; no. 1; pp. 17 - 31
• Main Authors: Steadman, Philip, Hamilton, Ian, Evans, Stephen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Routledge 02.01.2014; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: building form; building geometry; building stock; Commercial real estate; electricity use; Energy consumption; energy demand; Energy modeling; exposed surface area; gas use; Geometry; non-domestic; plan depth; Statistical analysis; Three dimensional imaging; United Kingdom > UK; British Isles; British Isles, England, Greater London, London
• ISSN: 0961-3218; 1466-4321
• DOI: 10.1080/09613218.2013.808140

The geometrical forms of buildings have important effects on their use of energy. These relationships are explored at the scale of the entire non-domestic building stock of London. A three-dimensional digital model of the city is used to make a series of geometrical measures: building volume, exposed surface area (walls plus roof) and plan depth. These are compared with figures for the consumption of gas and electricity published by the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The comparisons are made at different levels of spatial aggregation, from boroughs to census districts. Strong correlations are demonstrated between exposed surface area and both gas and electricity use. The analysis also provides some evidence of a sharp increase in electricity use in districts with buildings whose depth in plan exceeds 14 m (in which air-conditioning and permanent artificial lighting are typically required). A multiple regression model is used to measure the contribution of these effects to total energy use, as compared with floor area, activities and number of employees.