Neighbourhood Transformation via Multiscale Urban Optimization

Abstract

Energy, emissions cutting and sustainable
development are the main urban issues. The urban settlement
forms could have a disproportionately large effect over the
energy consumption, and consequently, on any effective longterm
strategy for reducing C02 emission in the atmosphere.
Hence, this paper demonstrates how it could be possible to
transform an existing urban context into a lower energy
consumption system, using the IMM® methodology. Assuming
that the total energy consumption of the city is different from the
sum of the whole building’s consumption, this theory considers
that the energy efficiency of the urban system has to be optimized
by its form. A specific case study, located in Australia (Gold
Coast), shows that morphology plays a significant role for a long
term energy-saving strategy as well as for urban efficiency, life’s
quality and, generally, for any sustainable urban environment
policy.