A simplified and comprehensive method for the planning and pre-assessment of energy rehabilitation actions at neighbourhood level: Components and pilot application in León (Spain)

Abstract

The promotion of urban regeneration actions at the neighbourhood level, which has become a major component of urban policies in many countries, requires planning support systems to assist local authorities. This article proposes a three-component method including a urban vulnerability assessment, a simulation of energy refurbishment actions and an estimation of their economic impact, based on simple processing of information and tested through a case study in the city of León (Spain). The results point to the peripheries built in the 1960s and 1970s and to the renovation of walls of entire multi-family buildings as priority areas for public action, whilst confirming the usefulness of the method as a simplified, comprehensive and user-friendly tool for comparing possible actions and establishing a simple prioritisation and ranking criterion. In this way, this method can contribute to more efficient public policies when determining where and how to act, and what cost and economic impact can be expected. Regarding its replicability, potential operational and contextual limitations and their alternatives are discussed, as well as future developments that could improve its performance.