Next Article in Journal
An Approach to Calculating the Minimum Safety Distance Against the Potential Risks of Shipwrecks
Previous Article in Journal
Life Cycle Sustainable Design Optimization of Building Structural Components: A Hybrid Approach Incorporating Genetic Algorithm and Machine Learning
Previous Article in Special Issue
Study on the Diurnal Difference of the Impact Mechanism of Urban Green Space on Surface Temperature and Sustainable Planning Strategies
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Sustainability
Volume 17
Issue 23
10.3390/su172310447
sustainability-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Impacts of Urban Morphology, Climate, and Occupant Behavior on Building Energy Consumption in a Cold Region: An Agent-Based Modeling Study of Energy-Saving Strategies

by
Peng Cui
,
Ran Ji
*,
Jiaqi Lu
,
Zixin Guo
and
Yewei Zheng
College of Landscape Architecture, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2025, 17(23), 10447; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310447
Submission received: 15 October 2025 / Revised: 17 November 2025 / Accepted: 19 November 2025 / Published: 21 November 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Green Infrastructure for Heat Mitigation and Social Equity: Global Perspectives and Challenges)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Urban morphology, climate, and occupant behavior significantly affect urban building energy consumption. This study analyzed 200 example blocks with 4754 buildings in Harbin, China, a representative city with a severe cold climate, to calculate urban morphology and climate factors. A questionnaire was conducted to quantify the data on the energy use behaviors of building occupants. Linear and nonlinear methods were used to explore correlations between these three types of factors and energy consumption. An agent-based modeling (ABM) approach was applied to establish a city-scale energy consumption simulation model, and simulations of energy-saving scenarios were carried out to derive optimization strategies. Key findings include: (1) the living area is the most significant determinant of daily energy use intensity (EUI), contributing 24.42%; (2) the floor area ratio (FAR) most influences annual electricity EUI (30.55%), while building height (BH) has the largest impact on heating EUI (32.62%); and (3) altering urban morphology and climatic factors by one unit can, respectively, reduce energy consumption by up to 13.0 and 224.7 kWh/m2 annually. Increasing energy-saving awareness campaigns can reduce household EUI by 30.6127 kWh/m2. This study provides strategic recommendations for urban energy-saving planning in cold regions.
Keywords: energy consumption; optimization strategy; influence mechanism; severe cold region; nonlinear analysis energy consumption; optimization strategy; influence mechanism; severe cold region; nonlinear analysis

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Cui, P.; Ji, R.; Lu, J.; Guo, Z.; Zheng, Y. Impacts of Urban Morphology, Climate, and Occupant Behavior on Building Energy Consumption in a Cold Region: An Agent-Based Modeling Study of Energy-Saving Strategies. Sustainability 2025, 17, 10447. https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310447

AMA Style

Cui P, Ji R, Lu J, Guo Z, Zheng Y. Impacts of Urban Morphology, Climate, and Occupant Behavior on Building Energy Consumption in a Cold Region: An Agent-Based Modeling Study of Energy-Saving Strategies. Sustainability. 2025; 17(23):10447. https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310447

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cui, Peng, Ran Ji, Jiaqi Lu, Zixin Guo, and Yewei Zheng. 2025. "Impacts of Urban Morphology, Climate, and Occupant Behavior on Building Energy Consumption in a Cold Region: An Agent-Based Modeling Study of Energy-Saving Strategies" Sustainability 17, no. 23: 10447. https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310447

APA Style

Cui, P., Ji, R., Lu, J., Guo, Z., & Zheng, Y. (2025). Impacts of Urban Morphology, Climate, and Occupant Behavior on Building Energy Consumption in a Cold Region: An Agent-Based Modeling Study of Energy-Saving Strategies. Sustainability, 17(23), 10447. https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310447

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Article metric data becomes available approximately 24 hours after publication online.
Back to TopTop