Energy assessment in town planning: urban energy maps

The paper describes an analytical procedure which allows the characterization ofthe energy performance of new and existing buildings, in a large urban context,through Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The methodology tries to codifya new process of integrated urban planning, aimed at identifying and designingenergy efficient new buildings and the refurbishment of existing ones, forsustainable urban development and growth. The multidisciplinary of variousboundary conditions, within an incomplete/unapplied legislative frameworkabout building energy efficiency, makes a very interesting scientific studyregarding the sustainability of town planning and urban retrofit, guaranteeing:environmental stewardship and economic development targets; global goals ofan environmental sustainability; introduction of procedures for a global view ofthe construction process that has to be declined in each local context for focusedterritorial planning. Therefore, the paper suggests a geo-referenced model,through which it will be possible to determine the energy consumption of eachbuilding and then to support the management of territorial transformations. Thenew methodological approach has been applied to the historical center ofBenevento. With reference to each building, the energy demand was determinedby crossing census data, (ISTAT/ENEA) and the results of predictive physicalcorrelations, with thermo-physical properties, cooling/heating needs and energyrequests. The achieved results and their reliability allowed us to obtain “urbanenergymaps” (MEU), which represent an important tool for advanced energyplanning, in terms of both territorial control and evaluation of the energy retrofitpotential.