Jimeno A. Fonseca

Spatial heterogeneity for environmental performance and resilient behavior in energy and transportation systems

This paper describes an assessment of the effects of spatial heterogeneity on the future performance and resilience of an urban area. For this, indicators of environmental performance and resilience of critical infrastructures (energy and transportation systems) are explored. The approach combines established methododologies of building performance simulation, energy systems analysis, and environmental impact assessment of buildings and transportation systems. The study is centered on future urban design scenarios for an industrial neighborhood in Switzerland. For this case study, multi-functionality is proportional to the performance and resilience of critical infrastructures. Mono-functionality improves the resilience and performance of energy systems with a negative effect on that of transportation systems. Building intensity, and resource intensive users were found to play a higher role into the future performance and resilience of the area. The findings of this research could complement planning approaches of sustainable and resilient urban areas.

Assessing the performance and resilience of future energy systems at neighborhood scale

This study compares the performance and resilience of future energy systems at neighborhood scale. Four urban design scenarios of a neighbourhood in Switzerland are evaluated. The energy systems of each scenario are modelled in EnergyPro. EnergyPro allows simulating hourly exchanges among vectors of demand and supply in buildings and electro-mobility. The performance of energy systems is evaluated according to costs, energy and carbon intensity. The resilience of energy systems is evaluated according to short-term and long-term responses to an electricity outage. The performance and resilience of energy systems are constrained to options of energy storage and on-site generation. Similarly, these options are constrained to land-uses and patterns of consumption in buildings. This paper builds new knowledge about the impacts of plans of urban development on the performance and resilience of energy systems.

Integrated Sustainable Building Design In The Tropics: Case Study “Fabrica De Cultura”, Barranquilla, Colombia

This paper presents a case study of integrated sustainable building design in the tropics. In an interdisciplinary approach, we evaluated a series of strategies to increase the expected performance of a building prototype in the city of Barranquilla, Colombia. We created plausible architectural options, and used building performance simulation techniques to evaluate the feasibility of energy and water efficiency strategies. The aim was to develop close to optimal solutions to minimize the use of resources in the building while assuring high standards of comfort, an attractive return on investment, and an appealing architectural expression. As a result, four strategic bundles or sustainability concepts were seamlessly integrated into the architecture of the building. In comparison with a local school, the building achieves up to 93% of net energy savings and related emissions, 86% of water savings, and COP 144.5 million (USD 76,891.34) of yearly economic savings with a payback time period of 7.4 years. The results of this integrated approach successfully address the three pillars of sustainable development (i.e. social, economic and environmental) at the building scale and represent an exemplary case for the upcoming Colombian Green Building Code.