A study of Shanghai residential morphology and microclimate at a neighborhood scale based on energy consumption

Abstract

This study is to assess the impact of residential morphology and microclimate on energy use at the neighbourhood scale. At the scale of 200m×150m, based on the common residential forms in Shanghai, seven real residential districts are selected as research objects, including the garden houses, 6-storey flats, 14-storey flats, 28-storey flats, lane houses, slab- Type apartments and high-rise buildings mixed, as well as high-rise buildings and super high-rise buildings mixed. The effects of residential morphology (e.g. building distance, density, etc.) and microclimate (e.g. wind speed, temperature, etc.) on building energy use are quantitatively assessed using EnergyPlus. In sum, data analyses of the comparison among the energy consumption of the seven distinct districts are usable for the optimal design of residential district in energy supply. Finally, a case study was carried out to analyze the effects of different morphology indexes on the energy balance in the same floor- Area ratio (FAR).