Highlights

• Energy efficiency is important for reducing carbon emissions.
• Policies are adopted to increase residential energy efficiency.
• Policy formulation in this space can be supported by analytical tools.
• Traditional equations based diffusion modelling is a limited approach.
• Agent Based Modelling addresses limitations of previous methods.

Abstract

Highlights

The nearly zero-energy concept aims to achieve a significant reduction of energy consumption in the buildings’ sector, while promoting the renewable energy dissemination. In order to move beyond the individual building boundary and to consider the urban context influence, this article presents a critical review on the aspects of applying the nearly zero-energy principle to the intermediate urban scale known as district, from an architectural and urban planning perspective.

Abstract: 

Heatwaves have been subject to significant attention in Australia and globally due to their negative impacts on the ecosystem, infrastructure, human health and social life. Measures to increase resilience to heatwaves, however, are mostly isolated in different disciplines. This paper proposes a framework integrating urban and infrastructure planning, building design, public health and social research, to comprehensively assess heat stress resilience.