An agent-based framework for prioritizing building retrofits
Date
2025
Authors
Lari, Khosro
Cant, Kevin
Evins, Ralph
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Building Engineering
Abstract
As the urgency to address climate change grows, municipalities face the challenge of lowering carbon emissions from buildings, which account for a large portion of total emissions. However, many cities lack the tools and data required to develop effective policies. This study proposes a practical framework for solving this by creating a user-friendly dashboard tailored to the needs of decision-makers in municipalities. The framework analyses current energy consumption, carbon emissions and building characteristics by leveraging existing datasets such as energy assessment databases and the property tax databases. Decision-makers can visualize the potential impact of various retrofit alternatives using scenario analysis and policy simulation, anticipate future construction rates and analyze the embodied carbon impact. The framework provides insights into the current carbon status and targets and enables municipalities to effectively identify and prioritize climate solutions. This paper applies the framework to single-family houses in the City of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, however its flexibility enables adaption to other contexts around the world. This study adds to the expanding discussion about municipal climate action by proposing a practical, comprehensive approach to inform policy decisions and expedite progress towards carbon reduction targets.
Description
Keywords
Energy in Cities, Institute for Integrated Energy Systems (IESVic)
Citation
Lari, K., Cant, K., & Evins, R. (2025). An agent-based framework for prioritizing building retrofits. Journal of Building Engineering, 107, 112661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2025.112661