Assessing the Energy-Saving Potential of Passive Strategies in Commercial Buildings in the Top Upcoming Megacities

Abstract

Buildings account for up to 50% of energy consumption in many regions. Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems consume half of that energy. Passive cooling strategies can significantly reduce energy use and associated carbon emissions, especially in high-density regions like megacities. This work aims to quantify the energy-saving potential of passive strategies in five upcoming megacities, namely Hyderabad, Bogota, Johannesburg, Bangkok and Chengdu. It assesses the potential of three strategies - natural ventilation, shading and use of appropriate materials. The aspects of energy use, thermal comfort and indoor air quality are combined to identify the strategy and the city with the most energy-saving potential. The study showed that climate and occupancy hours dictated the success of each strategy in each city. The analysis and data presented here can provide guidelines for designing new buildings and retrofitting existing ones before the upcoming population surge.