A hybrid simulation model for urban weatherization programs

In the face of climate change, cities are becoming interested in developing policies and programs that will increase sustainability and resilience in their neighborhoods. In particular, government officials, planning agencies, and residents of the City of Des Moines, Iowa, would like to find ways to improve the energy efficiency of their urban built environment. Weatherization of residential buildings is one way of reducing energy consumption, particularly in winter months. While financial incentives might increase residents' adoption of weatherization measures, research has shown that social interactions more strongly influence this decision. To enable stakeholders to explore different scenarios for encouraging weatherization, a hybrid simulation model that integrates an urban energy model with an agent-based model has been developed to connect the physical processes of built environment systems with the goals, constraints, and interactions that drive resident behavior. This paper describes an application of the model to a specific residential city block.