Exploring the integration of urban climate models and urban building energy models through shared databases: a review

Abstract Urban energy demand and climate dynamics are inherently interconnected. However, existing modeling approaches often fail to integrate data effectively across multiple spatial scales. Urban Building Energy Models (UBEMs) and Urban Climate Models (UCMs) provide valuable insights into urban energy consumption and microclimate variations, respectively. However, their integration remains a challenge due to differences in spatial resolution, data structures, and computational requirements. While previous studies have explored model coupling, most focus on microclimatic interactions and lack a standardized framework for data integration across different urban scales. This review examines the current state of UBEM tools and UCMs, with a particular emphasis on the correspondence of model data integration at multiple spatial scales. We identify key challenges in harmonizing geospatial data, meteorological inputs, and simulation parameters, particularly the misalignment of Levels of Detail between models operating at different spatial scales. To address this, we propose a multi-scale data framework that enables integration by aligning UBEMs and UCMs data structures through shared urban databases. This approach contributes to more accurate energy predictions, enhances urban climate resilience planning, and improves the applicability of integrated models for policymakers and urban planners.