Local climate change and building energy consumption

Effects of local changes in climate and urban surface geometry on building energy consumption are examined. Typical hypothetical built environments are developed. Energy consumption by a single building is simulated for changing climate conditions (especially air temperature), and urban surface geometry (particularly for a single isolated building and a building surrounded by several other buildings). A modified algorithm, developed by the U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, is used to simulate energy use inside the buildings of interest.;Results suggest that temperature increases may lead to increases in net energy consumption in hot climates owing to increases in cooling loads. In colder climates, temperature increases could lead to energy savings through decreases in heating loads. Energy savings are expected in a wide variety of seasonally cool climates, depending also on the character of the buildings. Shadowing makes a significant contribution to cooling-load decreases in hot climates. Even in relatively cold regions, urban-induced decreases in the summer cooling loads tend to be significant. Urban environments (through warming and shadowing) tend to decrease annual energy consumption in buildings, except in the hot climates. In hot climates, urbanization accelerates energy consumption.