An Approach to Identifying Factors Affecting Residential Energy Consumption at the Urban Block Scale: A Case Study of Gaziantep

Mert Sercan Sagdicoglu (), M. Serhat Yenice and F. Demet Aykal
Additional contact information
Mert Sercan Sagdicoglu: Department of Architecture, Hasan Kalyoncu University, Gaziantep 27500, Turkey
M. Serhat Yenice: Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design, Hasan Kalyoncu University, Gaziantep 27500, Turkey
F. Demet Aykal: Department of Architecture, Dicle University, Diyarbakır 21280, Turkey

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 20, 1-22

Abstract: Previous studies on building energy performance have focused on single buildings or theoretical scenarios, remaining largely at the building scale and emphasizing envelope parameters. This study addresses this gap by systematically examining morphological parameters at the urban block scale through a five-step framework derived from the historical zoning evolution of Gaziantep (Turkiye), a city in a hot–dry climate. Four representative neighborhoods, reflecting different planning periods, were modeled in DesignBuilder v6.1 under a standardized envelope defined by national regulations. The analysis considered building orientation (15° vs. 45°), number of storeys (5–15), inter-building distance, and number of apartments per floor. Simulation results indicate that cooling energy demand is significantly higher than heating, with potential savings of up to 22% in total energy consumption depending on urban fabric parameters. The Alleben neighborhood, characterized by the oldest planned fabric, consumed 30% less cooling energy compared to the other regions. Orientation alone increased cooling demand by up to 12%. At the same time, compact urban forms reduced loads through mutual shading, while higher apartments per floor increased energy use due to the larger façade area and internal gains. By linking historical zoning evolution with block-scale simulations, this study provides a transferable framework that highlights the decisive role of planning parameters and offers practical guidance for climate-sensitive urban development.

Keywords: sustainable architecture; housing design; energy simulation; DesignBuilder; sustainable development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/20/5541/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/20/5541/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:20:p:5541-:d:1776114

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Cassie Shen

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().