Future Perspectives for Physics-Based Urban Building Energy Modelling Tools

With the high concentration of people in urban areas and their significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, along with the unmet needs of rural settlements, it is crucial to place greater emphasis on designing more energy-efficient cities through the use of renewable energy sources. The present study reviews the advantages of using urban building energy models (UBEMs) to simulate and design urban energy systems, providing valuable insights to researchers and decision-makers working towards an energy transition to more efficient and cleaner forms of energy. This review presents the current state-of-the-art of physics-based UBEMs, including common approaches, necessary components, tools developed, and applications that have benefited from their use to date. Additionally, this study highlights current limitations and gaps, encouraging academics and developers to pursue future research and development opportunities. Finally, it proposes three topics of interest that can benefit from the implementation of building-to-grid urban energy system models, showing promising future applications. Results of this review have shown that further research on UBEM-oriented urban district Digital Twins, endowed with Energy Communities and Positive Energy District abilities, along with the use of mature open-access and user-friendly tools, can accelerate the design and planning of modern district energy systems.