An approach to optimize building area ratios scheme of urban complex in different climatic conditions based on comprehensive energy performance evaluation

In the context of the global energy shortage, urban complexes have attracted more and more attention from energy-saving research due to their large number and great energy-saving potential. While, the energy performance factors are rarely considered in the function scheme decision of urban complex in the recent pre-programming process. Optimizing the building area ratio scheme of urban complex is the key link to improve the comprehensive energy utilization efficiency. This paper proposes an approach to optimize building area ratio scheme of urban complex from energy performance perspective by energy simulation, scenario analysis and demand side management methods, and provides a data set of rankings of urban complex function combination schemes by evaluating the performance of energy load leveling and the degree of load stability of each building area ratio scheme in different climatic conditions, respectively. The results indicate that: 1) the different building area ratios notably affect the integrated operating energy performance of urban complexes with a maximum evaluation indexes difference of more than 85%; 2) the evaluating and optimizing results of the building area ratio schemes show broadly similarity in different climate conditions; 3) the optimal building area ratio scheme of urban complex is usually with less “shopping mall” (0 ∼ 10%), more “residence” (more than 35%), and floating ratio of “office” and “hotel” (0 ∼ 35%). The main findings of this study provide a quantitative basis for the architectural pre-programming and function scheme decision-making of urban complex by demand-side energy management to improve the energy efficiency, so as to guarantee the energy supply security.