Holistic fuzzy logic methodology to assess positive energy district (PathPED)

Climate change is a global emergency and cities need to be reinvented in view of minimising their footprint profiling. Under this scenario urban planners, engineers and all the professionals involved in the decision-making process need new tools able to provide holistic and flexible urban perspective. The PathPED methodology provides a holistic approach that, on the one hand, uses agent-based fuzzy logic methodology to define urban transition scenarios, and on the other hand, provides an assessment of urban districts in terms of the commitments adopted under the Paris agreement, that is: increase of renewable, energy efficiency and carbon neutrality. The transition scenarios are defined by five smart agents (buildings, vehicles, lighting, photovoltaics and geothermal) which develop Positive Energy District (PED) scenarios for 2020, 2030 and 2050. A transient simulation is used to assess the performance of the PED in terms of yearly and monthly energy balances, ESS performance and carbon footprint. Results show that a decisive inclusion of renewable energy sources (100%), complete transition to electromobility, and substantial improvements in the energy efficiency of buildings are required to comply with the highly ambitious European commitments under Paris agreement.