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Geographic Information Systems for Facilitating Audits of the Urban Built Environment

Author

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  • Constantinos A. Balaras

    (Group Energy Conservation, Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development (IERSD), National Observatory of Athens (NOA), P. Penteli, 15236 Athens, Greece)

  • Andreas I. Theodoropoulos

    (Independent Researcher, 13451 Athens, Greece)

  • Elena G. Dascalaki

    (Group Energy Conservation, Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development (IERSD), National Observatory of Athens (NOA), P. Penteli, 15236 Athens, Greece)

Abstract

Data collection and large-scale urban audits are challenging and can be time consuming processes. Geographic information systems can extract and combine relevant data that can be used as input to calculation tools that provide results and quantify indicators with sufficient spatial analysis to facilitate the local decision-making process for building renovations and sustainability assessment. This work presents an open-access tool that offers an automated process that can be used to audit an urban area in order to extract relevant information about the characteristics of the built environment, analyze the building characteristics to evaluate energy performance, assess the potential for the installation of photovoltaics on available building rooftops, and quantify ground permeability. A case study is also presented to demonstrate data collection and processing for an urban city block, and the relevant results are elaborated upon. The method is easily replicable and is based on open data and non-commercial tools.

Suggested Citation

  • Constantinos A. Balaras & Andreas I. Theodoropoulos & Elena G. Dascalaki, 2023. "Geographic Information Systems for Facilitating Audits of the Urban Built Environment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-26, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:11:p:4309-:d:1154966
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Constantinos A. Balaras & Kalliopi G. Droutsa & Elena G. Dascalaki & Simon Kontoyiannidis & Andrea Moro & Elena Bazzan & Paola Borgaro, 2023. "Auditing and Rating Sustainability of Mediterranean Buildings, Neighbourhoods and Cities," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-18, December.
    2. Ali Taileb & Mohammed Fareed Sherzad, 2023. "Energy Audits and Energy Modeling as a Tool towards Reducing Energy Consumption in Buildings: The Cases of Two Multi-Unit Residential Buildings (MURBs) in Toronto," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-16, September.

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