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UBEM Fundamentals

Understanding the fundamentals of Urban Building Energy Modeling (UBEM) is essential for effective use of EnergyAtlas.

What is UBEM?

{
  "title": "Global CO2e Emissions",
  "data": [

    {
      "type": "bar",
      "name": "Global CO2e Emissions",

  "x": [
    1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980,
    1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990,
    1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000,
    2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010,
    2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020,
    2021, 2022, 2023
  ],
  "y": [
    16760, 17480, 18424, 18372, 18400, 19418, 20019, 20520, 21090, 20769,
    20365, 20236, 20309, 20981, 21301, 21705, 22381, 23120, 23573, 23963,
    24099, 23974, 24103, 24204, 24863, 25378, 25799, 25951, 26085, 26857,
    27222, 27545, 28775, 30044, 31140, 32051, 33144, 33384, 32868, 34766,
    35777, 36130, 36799, 36888, 36703, 36685, 37245, 38041, 38034, 35984,
    37933, 38404, 38987
  ]


    }
  ],
  "layout": {
    "xaxis": {"title": "Year"},
    "yaxis": {"title": "Million Tonnes of CO2e"},
    "barmode": "group"
  }
}

Urban Building Energy Modeling (UBEM) is the process of modeling energy consumption and demand for groups of buildings at the urban or district scale. Unlike single-building models, UBEM approaches:

  • Model multiple buildings simultaneously
  • Use simplified archetype-based approaches for efficiency
  • Integrate diverse data sources (GIS, building permits, surveys)
  • Enable scenario analysis for policy and planning

Key Concepts

Building Archetypes

Archetypes are representative building models that capture the essential characteristics of a building class. Common archetype dimensions include:

  • Building Type: Residential, commercial, mixed-use
  • Vintage: Construction era (pre-1980, 1980-2000, post-2000)
  • Size: Small, medium, large
  • Occupancy: Single-family, multi-family, office, retail

Data Integration

UBEM requires integrating multiple data sources:

  • Geographic Data: Building footprints, locations, heights
  • Building Characteristics: Age, type, size, use
  • Energy Data: Consumption records, utility data
  • Weather Data: Climate files for simulation

Simulation Approaches

EnergyAtlas supports multiple simulation approaches:

  • Simplified Models: Fast, suitable for large-scale analysis
  • Detailed Models: More accurate, computationally intensive
  • Hybrid Approaches: Balance between speed and accuracy

Best Practices

  1. Start Simple: Begin with basic archetypes and refine as needed
  2. Validate Results: Compare model outputs with measured data
  3. Document Assumptions: Keep track of modeling assumptions and data sources
  4. Iterate: Refine models based on validation results

Next Steps

Now that you understand UBEM fundamentals:

Workflows

Resources

Last updated: January 2026