Low-rise Residential Buildings Research Articles

Hygrothermal response of a wood-frame thick-wall assembly to rainwater wetting under future climate scenarios in Canada

Current exterior wall assembly designs for new low-rise residential buildings targeting low-energy demand in heating dominated countries include split-insulation wall and thick-wall assembly designs. Both have been shown to result in thermal efficiency gains compared to building-code minimum assemblies, however long-term hygrothermal performance can vary depending on boundary conditions and the presence of construction deficiencies. Future climate scenarios estimate many heating-dominated climates will experience a reduction in heating-degree day hours and an increase in annual rainfall. Using validated assembly performance data from a Passive House certified facility, a sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the impact of rainwater wetting, air exfiltration and insulation material properties on the hygrothermal response of a thick-wall assembly. Results show that rainwater leakage values of 0.50% and greater of the adhering rainfall on the exterior surface of the assembly results in the greatest risk for failure. The hygrothermal response of the assembly is then examined under a global temperature rise scenario of 3.5°C for five geographic locations across Canada. Results show that an increase in average annual total rainfall does not directly result in an increase in the failure rate of the assembly when a rainwater leak is present. Additional climatic factors, including outdoor air temperature, driving rain and solar radiation received will influence the hygrothermal response of the assembly and need to be considered when modelling the performance under future climate change scenarios.

АРХИТЕКТУРНО-ГРАДОСТРОИТЕЛЬНОЕ РАЗВИТИЕ УЛИЦЫ СИМФЕРОПОЛЬСКОЙ В ГОРОДЕ ЕВПАТОРИЯ

Abstract. The relevance of the development of Simferopolskaya Street in the city of Yevpatoria, Republic of Crimea, is due to the increased need to improve the quality of the coastal urban environment. Recently, the western part of the Crimean coast has been gaining increasing interest among tourists. One of the most popular tourist cities is Evpatoria. The main architectural and urban planning problems of the coastal zone in the area of the street have been identified. Simferopolskaya: obsolescence of low-rise residential buildings, unattractive aesthetic appearance of the facades of buildings and structures, lack of an embankment and comfortable landscaping of the territory. Currently, in the improvement of the territory under consideration, there is no single architectural style - a harmonious appearance of the street. The work analyzes theoretical and practical materials related to the object of research, and analyzes world analogues. Scientific principles and practical recommendations for the reconstruction of Simferopolskaya Street with the adjacent seaside area - the embankment and the beach - are proposed. To test the research results, an experimental design model was developed.
 Subject: Reconstruction of the territory within the boundaries of Simferopolskaya Street in the city of Evpatoria, landscaping.
 Materials and methods: During the study, an analysis of projects of world analogues was used. To identify the historical pattern of development of the territory, a comparative analysis of coastal territories of the Soviet period and at present is used. In the process of selecting materials on the topic of publication and analysis of the urban planning situation, the following methods were used: deduction, theoretical analysis and synthesis, the method of analogy, field surveys, photographic recording, critical and urban planning analysis, experimental design.
 Results: To increase the duration of the holiday season and increase the attractiveness of the study area, the main indicators have been identified: the formation of an identifying architectural image of the coastal strip of Simferopolskaya Street in the city of Evpatoria, attracting investors to implement projects, expanding the scope of services provided to tourists.
 It is proposed to apply the developed scientific principles for the development of the street and adjacent coastal areas:
 - the principle of integrity of the structure of space;
 - ecological principle;
 - principle of investment attractiveness;
 - the principle of increasing positive factors in the use and development of existing building functions and territory;
 - the principle of preservation and renewal;
 - the principle of continuity;
 - the principle of architectural and artistic expressiveness and functional diversity.
 The formation and transformation of urban public recreational zones of coastal areas must have a well-thought-out strategy for the systematic, phased implementation of work on the construction of facilities and improvement of coastal areas. To comply with the above principles, it is necessary to develop a strategy or concept for the development of the territory and adhere to it when reconstructing the territory.
 Conclusions: Based on the results of the analysis of global and domestic design and reconstruction of embankments, current trends in the formation of urban recreational zones of coastal territories were identified, which should also be applied to the city of Evpatoria:
 1) development of pedestrian traffic infrastructure through the development of the coastal strip as a system of pedestrian spaces in contact with the shoreline of water bodies;
 2) the maximum possible distance of water bodies from intense traffic flows, giving preference to pedestrian spaces;
 3) improvement of the green zone as an infrastructure of coastal areas, by forming an integral, continuous strip or islands of greenery;
 4) the formation within the boundaries of coastal territories of a multifunctional system that unites recreational areas and public spaces, the interaction of pedestrian, green, and water infrastructures as a single whole;
 5) development of coastal areas as complex objects of urban culture.
 The practical application of the developed principles and recommendations embedded in the experimental design model - the concept of reconstruction of the seaside street of Simferopol in the city of Yevpatoria will contribute to the qualitative development of the urban environment.

On the energy impact of cool roofs in Dubai

Urban warming can significantly increase the energy demand for building cooling. As temperatures rise, buildings require additional energy for air conditioning, which can lead to higher electricity demand and increased greenhouse gas emissions. This can create a positive feedback loop, as increased energy demand leads to increased waste heat and further exacerbates the urban warming effect. To solve this issue, this study integrates high-resolution meteorological data from the Weather Research and Forecasting coupled with Single Layer Urban Canopy Model (WRF/SLUCM) into CitySim for the first time to evaluate the building energy demands at various building types in Dubai metropolis. Examining how cool materials reduced cooling loads was achievable utilizing modified albedo in Dubai's downtown buildings. An increase of urban albedo from 0.2 to 0.8 significantly lowers the urban heating effect, as well as the building cooling needs. The study shows that for albedo scenario 0.8, Low-rise residential buildings experienced cooling load reductions of about 13.1 kWh/m2 and 6 kWh/m2 for buildings without insulation and those with insulation, respectively, compared to the base case. Additionally, high-rise residential buildings saw cooling load reductions ranging from 7.7 kWh/m2 to 11.7 kWh/m2 for buildings without insulation and a cooling load reduction of 3.6 kWh/m2 to 5.4 kWh/m2 for insulated buildings. This study provides a tool for regulating the energy impact of cool roofs in different urban settings using energy simulation, which could help policymakers control the energy needs in subtropical desert urban environments.

Целостность и иерархичность структур данных в жизненном цикле объектов малоэтажного жилищного строительства

The subject area of the article is construction facilities life cycle management, where the object-oriented automated technologies of low-rise housing construction are the subject of consideration. The purpose of this study is to describe the meta-structure of such technologies, consisting of a set of hierarchical structures of the finite elements (premises, structures, engineering equipment, etc.) and for this meta-structure definition the concept of low-rise housing estate construction facilities integrity is introduced. The object of the article's research is hierarchical data structures, on the basis of which object-oriented databases and knowledge bases are formed, serving automated technologies for construction facilities integrity generation within all stages of the life cycle. The article uses the method of decomposition of the low-rise housing estate construction facilities integrity into a variety of automated technologies and their constituent hierarchical data structures, which allows us to identify all subject areas of objects of manor low-rise housing estate construction for computational justifications of the limiting states of finite elements (objects) of architecture, building structures, engineering equipment. Hierarchical structures create a standardized basis for the organization of finite element information models for managing the life cycle of manor low-rise estate housing construction. Decision-makers should prepare hierarchical data structures and algorithms for calculating the justifications for finite elements. The article presents examples of hierarchical data structures schemes for the design stage tasks solving. It is concluded that all information models of finite elements on a variety of subject areas of manor low-rise estate housing construction objects arise during the execution of constructive (algorithmized) processes in the decision-making layers of the corresponding stages of the life cycle of construction objects. It is concluded that all information models of finite elements on a variety of subject areas of manor low-rise estate housing construction objects arise during the execution of constructive (algorithmized) processes in the decision-making layers of the corresponding stages of the life cycle of construction objects. A structuring condition is also proposed: if the main link of the life cycle management technology is the information model of the object, then the fundamental condition for object orientation and meaningful filling of hierarchical data structures is the construction system used in this construction object, as a set of load-bearing and enclosing structures, its components and materials used. The proposed approach will make it possible to create and maintain a shared data environment on a regular and ongoing basis as part of a set of hierarchical data structures of the construction projects under consideration. In the development, it becomes possible to qualitatively improve the technological conditions for decision-making according to various criteria, including criteria for environmental friendliness, energy efficiency, economy, comfort for low-rise residential buildings using neural network data structures and the use of artificial intelligence algorithms. The above together is the basis for the formation of a modern innovative technological order for the objects of estate low-rise housing construction.

Sustainable urban development: Evaluating the potential of mineral-based construction and demolition waste recycling in emerging economies

Widespread illegal disposal of surging construction and demolition waste (CDW) is a prominent threat to recycling, leading to resource wastage and environmental issues. The lack of data is a major barrier to designing an effective waste management system in emerging economies. Employing a mixed-method approach, a cross-sectional case study was conducted on an Indian city to assess the existing system and investigate the root causes of low recycling rates and limited demand for recycled materials. The study finds that (a) illegal disposal is prevalent due to the "end-of-pipe" approach of the waste management system, (b) policy enforcement on waste generators is weak, (c) low-rise residential buildings are the major contributor of waste, (d) low demand for recycled material is due to lack of awareness, marketing, incentives, and high costs, (e) transportation costs are 50 % higher than the recycled material cost, and (f) lack of segregation leading to the production of low-value materials. All these factors make recycling unattractive and the circular economy (CE) unfeasible. Stakeholder awareness, a centralized trading platform, and integrated waste management systems are essential to promote recycling and advance SDGs 9, 11, and 12, focusing on industry, sustainable cities, and responsible consumption and production.

Infiltration Models in EnergyPlus: Empirical Assessment for a Case Study in a Seven-Story Building

The current decarbonization transition to be achieved by 2050 according to the European Council has given great prominence to the use of Digital Twins as tools for energy management. For their correct operation, it is essential to control the uncertainties of the energy models, which lead to differences between the measured and predicted data. One of the key parameters that is most difficult to assess numerically is air leakage. The existent infiltration models available in EnergyPlus were developed to be applied in low-rise residential buildings with fewer than three stories. Therefore, it is common to rely on air leakage equations employing predefined coefficients. This research presents an empirical assessment of the performance of two EnergyPlus air leakage models, the “Effective Leakage Area” and the “Flow Coefficient”, in predicting dynamic infiltration within the attic of a seven-story building. Blower door tests, along with the application of CO2 tracer gas, were conducted to establish coefficients for the models. Then, they were evaluated in three independent periods according to the criteria established in the American Society for Testing Material D5157 Standard. Those models that only used in situ coefficients consistently met the standard across all three periods, demonstrating for both equations their accurate performance and reliability. For the best model derived from tracer gas data, the R2 and NMSE values are 0.94 and 0.019, respectively. In contrast, the model developed using blower door test data and EnergyPlus default values presented a 64% reduction in accuracy compared to the best one. This discrepancy could potentially lead to misleading energy estimates. Although other software options exist for estimating infiltration, this study specifically targets EnergyPlus users. Therefore, these findings offer valuable insights to make more informed decisions when implementing the infiltration models into energy simulations for high-rise buildings using EnergyPlus.

Правовой режим малоэтажного жилищного фонда в России

The article is devoted to very acute issue of legal regulation of the low-rise private housing fund, since the latter is one of the most prioritized and rapidly growing areas of territorial development in the Russian Federation, which rises the disputes over the legal regime of various types of lowrise housing stock, the legal status of owners and users of the corresponding residential premises, the nature of the emerging housing relations. The relevance of these problems is seen through the important changes in the housing and construction legislation of the Russian Federation, introduced in 2022. The purpose of this study is to identify common features and peculiarities of the legal regime of private low–rise housing stock, the nature of housing and other legal relations arising during the construction, commissioning and subsequent use of low-rise residential buildings. For this purpose, the features of the legal regime of an ordinary low-rise residential building, a blocked residential building, a low-rise residential complex, low-rise apartment buildings are analyzed. Having conducted a comparative analysis of the legislation fixing the features of the legal regime of various types of low-rise residential buildings, the practice of its application, the author comes to the conclusion that it is necessary to expand the application of the analogy of the law in resolving disputes concerning low-rise housing stock.

History and Prospects of Development of Low-Rise Wooden Buildings in Cities of the North of Russia

Low-rise timber buildings are an important part of Arctic cities. This is due to a number of factors: the traditions of using wood in construction, accessibility and simplicity, mastery of the technology of processing wood as a building material, the ability to quickly construct buildings from ready-made elements, high thermal qualities of wood. The modern emergency low-rise wooden building fund has discredited itself, which has led to an increase in the construction of capital multi- apartment buildings using technologies from cities in central Russia. Currently, economics, ecology, and the development of modern technologies dictate the need to revive low-rise wooden residential buildings at a new qualitative level, including the development of a new typology of residential buildings that meet the diverse modern requirements of the population of Arctic cities.

ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ ВЕТРОВОГО РЕЖИМА СУЩЕСТВУЮЩЕЙ ЖИЛОЙ ЗАСТРОЙКИ В УСЛОВИЯХ ЖАРКОГО КЛИМАТА

The article focuses on the microclimate of dense residential buildings in a hot climate and ensuring the wind comfort of people there. It considers the aeration of a complex built up with high-rise and low-rise residential and public buildings. The numerical simulation method is used in the ANSYS Discovery Live software package. The paper presents the analysis of the comfort of the wind regime on the territory of the residential complex with the allocation of aeration zones according to wind speed and gives recommendations to reduce stagnant aeration zones. It also considers the aeration of a residential complex improved by the installation of wind screens. The results obtained and the revealed patterns will help to better assess the architectural and planning solutions of residential buildings, including buildings within existing districts, in terms of the comfort of people staying in these territories.

Determination of total heat transfer resistance, temperature line and moisture formation of condensate of the external walls’ multilayer construction

To create a moderate climate in the premises of newly built low-rise residential buildings, this article presents theoretical calculations of the design of external walls made of small gas blocks, the cavities of which are filled with heavy concrete and thermal insulation material. As a result of theoretical calculations, the total resistance to heat transfer, thermal inertia, temperature in the layers of the wall, temperature line, humidity regime and heat absorption coefficient of the external wall structure, built from small gas blocks filled with heavy concrete and thermal insulation, were determined. material.

The Impact of a Heat-Insulating Pad on the Temperature Regime of the Frozen Base of a Low-Rise Residential Building

The Impact of a Heat-Insulating Pad on the Temperature Regime of the Frozen Base of a Low-Rise Residential Building

Technical and Economic Aspects of the Choice of Enclosing Wall Structures with a Similar Heat Flow for Low-rise Housing Construction

This article is devoted to the analysis of multilayer enclosing structures used for the construction of exterior walls of low-rise buildings based on a comparison of thermal and economic indicators. For the calculations in this article, the most relevant and popular multilayer wall designs are selected. The object of the study is the structural solutions of multilayer wall enclosing structures in low-rise housing construction, which are used in the city of Krasnoyarsk. The subject of the study is: the influence of the composition of multilayer wall enclosing structures with a similar heat flow on the estimated cost of their construction for the city of Krasnoyarsk and the estimated cost of 1 square meter of each wall structure is determined. At the moment, the construction of low-rise residential buildings is gaining popularity and is supported by state programs both at the federal level and at the levels of the subjects of the Russian Federation and municipalities. Low-rise housing construction is considered as one of the possibilities of solving the housing problem or improving housing conditions for the population. Multilayer enclosing structures with exterior facade decoration have been widely used in low-rise and multi-storey construction. As part of the study, we considered the most common types of multilayer structures and exterior wall facade finishing options, performed thermal engineering and cost estimates to determine the most profitable option for a multilayer wall structure in low-rise housing construction.

ARCHITECTURAL AND ECONOMIC APPROACH TO LOW-RISE HOUSING TO ACHIEVE ECONOMIC STABILITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Sustainable construction, in the context of sustainable development at economic, social and environmental levels, is a proven strategy that responds to the challenges of the modern construction industry. It is an approach that focuses on balanced development, taking into account the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. At the economic level, sustainable construction contributes to the creation of efficient and energy-saving buildings, which helps to reduce heating and cooling costs. It also reduces the impact of construction on financial resources through the use of more cost-effective materials and technologies. This research aims at identifying theoretical concepts and practical ways of economic, environmental and construction development of architectural and economic concept of low-rise buildings for achieving economic stability and sustainable development of the country. In order to create the concept of sustainable development, it is recommended to base it on the circular economy model. This model provides for the reuse of materials. The unacceptability of using materials that cannot be reused is the main principle of this model. This means that, without producing waste or polluting the environment, resources should be used efficiently and in a circular manner. It should be noted that the cost of building houses and apartments in this type of development needs to be identified in detail when analysing the cost of low-rise development. The cost of developing infrastructure such as engineering and transport, and the cost of maintaining engineering networks and transport communications must also be considered. In general, the feasibility study also includes the cost of land and legal regulation. According to the authors, maximum economic efficiency can be achieved by concentrating on developing two to four-storeyed buildings. In low-rise residential buildings, there are two ways to save energy. Firstly, by reducing energy consumption from external sources through the installation of autonomous or local technical systems. Secondly, by using energy-efficient buildings that use alternative energy sources, energy savings can be achieved. One of the key concepts of modern housing is considered to be the active house. This means that modern economic concepts need to be applied. For example, the principle of “zero waste” and the model of a circular economy based on this principle require that the generation of waste be reduced or avoided as much as possible. In the case of old buildings, the principle of zero waste means that these buildings should be easy to dismantle without generating a significant amount of waste. One of the possible uses of these materials is to create new building materials or to produce other goods. The conclusions show that economic resilience, sustainable development and improved quality of life in the country can be achieved by using the architectural and economic concept of low-rise buildings. This has great potential to create a sustainable and prosperous society in the future, but requires an integrated approach and collaboration between different stakeholders.

Dry mixes on gypsum and mixed bases in the construction of low-rise residential buildings using 3D printing technology

3D-printed building construction technology is developing in most countries, such as France, China, Russia and others, and the dry mixes and equipment used are being improved. The development of 3D-printing construction technology is dictated by its many advantages: architectural diversity, speed and automation of the technological process of construction of buildings and structures with a noticeable reduction in the cost of production. However, there are a number of problems of this technology that are waiting for optimal solutions. The paper proposes solutions to two such problems: firstly, the choice of mixture with gypsum and gypsum-cement binders, ensuring the continuity of the 3D printing process of the building and allowing the construction of buildings up to three floors with sufficient safety margin, high seismic stability, as well as with good heat and noise insulation; secondly, the design of buildings with a rational structural and technological solution of the roof and floor, allowing the interface of these structures with load-bearing printed walls. Different compositions of dry mixes were tested in a series of field tests of large-sized wall blocks made with the use of a construction 3D-printer and filled with especially light porous expanded claydite, expanded clay concrete or heat-insulating foam gypsum with subsequent testing on press equipment of increased load-carrying capacity (with determination of bearing capacity and deformability of the large-sized block). When designing low-rise buildings, erected by additive technology, as an optimal design of floors, it is proposed to use frame-monolithic beam structures made of metal thin-walled steel galvanized profiles, filled with foam gypsum mix, providing heat and noise insulation and covered with a thin layer of high-strength self-leveling gypsum mix, providing the necessary structural strength of the floor and, accordingly, the minimum load on the foundation.

АРХІТЕКТУРНІ ОСОБЛИВОСТІ МАЛОПОВЕРХОВОЇ ТИПОВОЇ ЖИТЛОВОЇ ЗАБУДОВИ 1939-1955-Х РОКІВ

Architectural features of typical low-rise residential buildings in the period 1939-1955 in ukraine are considered. It was noted that it was at this time that the mass construction of housing for the population in Ukraine was actively developing during industrialization, consolidation of villages (creation of «agricultural towns») and post-war reconstruction. Such typical housing was characteristic of many cities and towns during these years and reflected the spirit and needs of the time. After the war, the main emphasis was placed on the restoration of damaged buildings and on the construction of temporary wooden housing facilities for industrial workers. However, already in the mid-1950s, the construction of low-rise residential complexes developed, which was financed by industrial enterprises and other organizations. A study of archival materials on this topic was conducted, the architectural style, materials, constructions of buildings of that period were considered. Examples of existing residential buildings of the 1940s to the 1950s in Lviv and the Lviv region are presented. The planning of typical housing after the Second World War in Ukraine was based on several general principles aimed at restoring the housing stock, providing comfortable conditions for residents and rational use of available resources. The importance of modernizing such buildings in order to improve their functionality and energy efficiency was noted. Useful in this matter is the use of foreign practice, where extensive experience in the reconstruction of existing buildings built according to standard projects has been accumulated. Especially important for Ukraine are the methods and principles of renewal of urban residential buildings, which were developed in the countries of Eastern Europe, there are state reconstruction programs that provide for the allocation of state subsidies and special credit terms for their implementation.

The Impact of the Composition and Location of Thermal Insulation in the Building Envelope on Energy Consumption in Low-Rise Residential Buildings in Hot Climate Regions

The Impact of the Composition and Location of Thermal Insulation in the Building Envelope on Energy Consumption in Low-Rise Residential Buildings in Hot Climate Regions

Temperature Mode of the Frozen Base of a Low-Rise Residential Building on a Ventilated Thermal-Insulation Pad

Temperature Mode of the Frozen Base of a Low-Rise Residential Building on a Ventilated Thermal-Insulation Pad

Evaluation of an Existing Validated Emirati House versus a New Parametric Design Based on the Local Social Environment through the Application of Advanced Tools

Al Ain is the second-largest city in the Abu Dhabi Emirate, and the population of Al Ain has been growing rapidly for the last 50 years. The residential units in Al Ain are arranged using different concepts in relation to household social and economic behaviors. While Al Ain city has mostly low-rise and mid-rise residential buildings, the local population tends to live in traditional low-rise villas. The governmental statistics show a high ratio of energy consumption in the form of electricity for cooling loads, and it is estimated to increase with the rapid growth of the population. In this context, it is important to investigate different strategies to control the energy consumption of residential buildings. The purpose of this study was to assess the energy usage and demand of an existing villa in Al Ain and see how a newer design approach can help to reduce the annual energy consumption of households. The newer design option is based on a parametric (application of a parametric façade) approach whilst taking sustainable design approaches. The newer design options are compared to the existing villa and a traditional extension villa attached to the existing villa in terms of annual electricity consumption. The process of design and energy modeling of all cases used the Estidama baseline standards for technical and construction specifications. The process started with selecting an existing six-bedroom villa in Al Ain. Moreover, the selected villa had a planned extension to be constructed in the future. Then, an annual energy model of the existing villa was created in Rhinoceros 7.0 with the Grasshopper 3D plug-in. The energy results were validated against the real energy bills of the villa. Once the energy model was validated, the newer options of the design were modeled, and the projected energy consumption was compared with the base case results to see how energy-efficient the newer model would be. The research shows that it is possible to save up to 60% of electricity annually by carefully selecting a sustainable design in the early stages.

Thermal Comfort and Microclimate in Indoor Spaces of Low-rise Residential Buildings in Dry Tropical Climate

The aim of this research is to analyze thermal comfort and microclimate for indoor spaces in low-rise residential buildings in dry tropical climate. The study area is the municipality of Palmar de Varela in northern Colombia. The experimental methodology is based on measuring three microclimatic parameters: air temperature (Ta), relative humidity (RH) and natural ventilation (W). The study assessed the thermal sensation in indoor spaces based on Thermal Sensation Vote (TSV) and Predicted mean vote (PMV). Data gathered from surveys were analyzed with data mining technologies. The findings suggest that suspended ceilings and ceramic tiles aid to the thermal equilibrium of the building, resulting in a 1.1 °C decrease in indoor air temperature. Likewise, the correlation between temperature and wind (r = -0.72; -0.56) indicates that natural ventilation in buildings can alleviate thermal discomfort. Based on the thermal sensation evaluation, the predominant feeling reported by interviewees in indoor spaces was warm (2) in S1 and S2, and slightly warm (1) in S3. In addition, the correlation between air temperature and comfort sensation in indoor spaces (r = 0.64; 0.44) suggests that temperature has a direct impact on thermal sensation votes.

Cooling Energy Benefits of Increased Green Infrastructure in Subtropical Urban Building Environments

Due to urban warming, the energy demand for cooling buildings is rising. The current study used CitySim (building energy model) to estimate the cooling energy requirements for 40 buildings in downtown Dubai using high-resolution climate data from weather research and forecasting (WRF) coupled with the single layer urban canopy model (SLUCM). Simulating the four mitigation scenarios allowed for the examination of the reduction in cooling load caused by the addition of greenery at a rate ranging from 25% to 100%. The insulated building’s cooling demand reduced by a maximum of 13.89% under 100% GI (M4). Scenario M4 resulted in a reduction of 4.6 kWh/m2 and 3.1 kWh/m2 for the non-insulated and insulated low-rise residential buildings, respectively, while the high-rise buildings saw a reduction of 3.09–4.91 kWh/m2 for the non-insulated and 2.07–3.09 kWh/m2 for the insulated buildings. This study offers a potential remedy to deal with the problem of urban heating in subtropical environments.