An Analysis of Energy Consumption in an Adelaide Suburb with Different Retrofitting and Redevelopment Scenarios

Improving energy efficiency of the existing dwelling stock of towns and cities will increasingly be part of the effort to moderate fossil fuel energy consumption in the decades to come. At the same time, residential areas may be subject to densification to better utilise the existing urban infrastructure whilst accommodating a larger population. The analysis of energy consumption arising from these trends offers the potential for optimising built forms and assisting in development decisions for urban renewal to encourage lower energy outcomes. This article describes the application of a model which uses a life cycle approach to the analysis of energy consumption in a residential suburb. The results indicate that the inclusion of embodied energy expended during redevelopment can be substantial and should be considered when modelling future energy consumption scenarios.