Analysis of Peak Demand Reduction and Energy Saving in a Mixed-Use Community through Urban Building Energy Modeling

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Energy saving in buildings is essential as buildings’ operational energy use constitutes 30% of global energy consumption. Urban building energy modeling (UBEM) effectively understands urban energy consumption. This paper applied UBEM to assess the potential of peak demand reduction and energy saving in a mixed-use community, using 955 residential buildings, 35 office buildings and 7 hotels in Shenzhen, China, as a case study. The building type and period were collected based on the GIS dataset. Then, the baseline models were generated by the UBEM tool—AutoBPS. Five scenarios were analyzed: retrofit-window, retrofit-air conditioner (AC), retrofit-lighting, rooftop photovoltaic (PV), and demand response. The five scenarios replaced the windows, enhanced the AC, upgraded the lighting, covered 60% of the roof area with PV, and had a temperature reset from 17:00 to 23:00, respectively. The results show that using retrofit-windows is the most effective scenario for reducing peak demand at 19.09%, and PV reduces energy use intensity (EUI) best at 29.96%. Demand response is recommended when further investment is not desired. Retrofit-lighting is suggested for its low-cost, low-risk investment, with the payback period (PBP) not exceeding 4.54 years. When the investment is abundant, retrofit-windows are recommended for public buildings, while PV is recommended for residential buildings. The research might provide practical insights into energy policy formulation.