Passive building characteristics, and summertime residential energy use: A spatial analysis of energy efficiency in Gainesville, FL

Abstract

Passive design and landscape variables (e.g., rooftop albedo and shading vegetation) are frequently proposed as important green building techniques. However, there is a paucity of literature demonstrating their large-scale effects with empirically measured building stocks and observed residential energy consumption. This paper uses a spatial Durbin error model (SDEM) approach to test the effects of passive building performance indicators, such as orientation, albedo, and NDVI, on city-wide summertime household billed energy data in Gainesville, FL. Our findings suggest that vegetation and albedo reduce energy consumption, but our model did not produce similar significant results for building orientation and footprint compactness. These results provide evidence to suggest high albedo roofing and purposeful shading are important energy conservation strategies for energy-efficient residential neighborhoods.