Impact of microclimate and urban form on the energy performance of residential buildings in the climate of Montevideo, Uruguay

Abstract

This study analyzes the influence of urban morphology and microclimatic conditions on the energy performance of buildings in Montevideo, Uruguay. Using simulations with ENVI-met and EnergyPlus, scenarios are evaluated with buildings of 31 and 6 meters in height, situated in two urban canyon orientations (East-West and North-South), with height-to-width ratios of 1.30 and 0.25, respectively. The results show that considering the urban environment reduces annual thermal loads by 6.5% to 25%, depending on the canyon orientation and configuration. This reduction is accompanied by a shift in the balance of heating and cooling loads, with higher heating demand in densely urbanized areas. Furthermore, including microclimatic conditions in the simulations for a summer day reveals a 3% increase in cooling loads, primarily due to the reduction in wind speed. This work emphasizes the need for bioclimatic design strategies, such as optimal building orientation and height, to optimize energy efficiency.