As climate change raises temperatures, projecting future building energy demand is crucial for adaptation, mitigation, and resilient infrastructure and energy systems. This is intensified by Europe's ageing population, including Norway, where more elderly residents will increase demand for elderly housing and vulnerability to thermal stress. This study examines how climate change affects the energy demand while ensuring thermal comfort of the elderly in newly built elderly housing in Baerum Municipality, Norway. Urban Building Energy Modelling was used to simulate heating and cooling energy demand in two elderly housing complexes under Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Assessment Report 5 climate scenarios, Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5) for the 2030s-2060s. Custom weather datasets included a 2023 Actual Meteorological Year (AMY) for calibration, a Typical Meteorological Year (TMY) baseline, and future weather files for different greenhouse gas trajectories. Contemporary and projected extreme weather data were generated to assess building energy performance under current and severe climate conditions. The RCP 8.5 scenario is projected to reduce heating demand by up to 19% by the 2060s, while the RCP 2.6 scenario reduces it by about 9% relative to historical data from 2000 to 2020. Peak cooling demand is forecasted to increase by 34% by the 2060s with more frequent and longer cooling events. This indicates a growing need for infrastructure improvements to meet future energy demands. Understanding these shifts in energy demand is crucial for preparedness to ensure the well-being and thermal comfort of elderly populations.

Residential buildings are central to Europe’s energy transition as climate change alters heating and cooling demand and increases risks related to thermal discomfort. In Sweden single family houses account for approximately 43 percent of the building stock and 40 percent of residential energy use while in neighboring Nordic countries demographic ageing increases the importance of ensuring adequate thermal comfort in elderly housing. Understanding how future climate conditions affect residential energy demand across different residential typologies and urban contexts is therefore essential for building and energy system planning. This study applies Urban Building Energy Modelling to examine future residential energy demand and thermal comfort under climate change through two parallel studies conducted in Nordic cities. The first study analyses district heated single family houses in Växjö Sweden represented by two villas and two townhouses. The second study focuses on newly built elderly housing in Baerum Norway. Both studies use a Python based UBEM framework with EnergyPlus as the simulation engine and are driven by consistent climate scenario assumptions. Future climate impacts are evaluated using Representative Concentration Pathway scenarios RCP 2.6 RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 across midcentury time horizons. Baseline simulations rely on local measured weather data and Typical Meteorological Year files while future typical and extreme weather datasets are generated using Meteonorm version 8.1. Model calibration and validation are conducted using measured energy data where available. Results from both cities are analysed simultaneously at monthly and hourly resolutions to assess seasonal energy demand shifts and changes in peak loads. Across both residential typologies heating demand consistently declines while cooling demand and peak cooling events increase under higher emission scenarios. However, the magnitude and timing of these changes differ between single family housing and elderly housing reflecting differences in building design occupancy patterns and thermal sensitivity. The findings demonstrate how Urban Building Energy Modelling enables cross context interpretation of future residential energy demand and provides evidence to support HVAC design district heating planning and policies addressing thermal comfort in Nordic cities.

More than 70 percent of Sweden's detached houses are aging and in need of renovation, creating an opportunity to improve their energy efficiency through targeted measures. Currently, renovation strategies are often chosen based on their immediate advantages, such as compatibility with existing climate conditions and thermal comfort. However, as climate projections indicate potential shifts in weather patterns, which may change heating and cooling demand, it becomes crucial to consider climate change pattern considering future climate scenarios when choosing energy measures. This paper aims to investigate the available energy measures in the renovation process of detached houses and categorize them based on their appropriateness for future climate change, considering their energy performance and thermal comfort. The authors will employ an Urban Building Energy Modeling (UBEM) tool with a physics-based approach to simulate building heating and cooling energy consumption. Future energy consumption of buildings will be analyzed under "Representative Concentration Pathway" (RCP) scenarios for 2030, 2040, and 2050. Six detached houses in Växjö, Sweden, have been selected as case studies for this research. The outputs from the UBEM model of the case study buildings will be calibrated based on 2018 weather data and corresponding energy bills, and the calibrated models will be validated using 2019 weather data. The calibration process uses a Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) algorithm based on monthly heating energy consumption data. The performance of different energy measures in the case study buildings will be investigated based on yearly heating and cooling energy consumption under different RCP scenario. The expected results of this study are to identify the most appropriate energy measures based on the forecasted energy performance and to analyze their effectiveness in addressing the change in cooling demand. This study could be beneficial for detached house owners, municipalities, and all decision-makers involved in building renovations, enabling smarter renovation decisions.

Sweden’s average temperature has increased by 1.9 °C since the late 19th century and is projected to rise by another 3–5 °C by the end of the century. As urbanisation amplifies heat stress, there is an urgent need to assess Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) risks, especially in high-latitude regions like Sweden, where such studies are limited. This study maps SUHI hazards, exposure, and vulnerability across Sweden to identify high-risk municipalities, focusing on residents in Single-Family Houses (SFHs). MODIS-derived land surface temperature (LST) data (2015–2022) were used to estimate SUHI intensity (hazard). Population density and building footprint data informed exposure, while vulnerability was measured using a Composite Vulnerability Index (CVI) based on social and physical indicators, including population demographics and building-related characteristics. All indicators and risk components were normalised, weighted using entropy and PCA, and integrated through geospatial analysis to produce a 1 km resolution national SUHI risk map, validated using heat-related mortality data. Results indicate that high-risk areas are concentrated in major cities. 12 high-risk municipalities contain 14 % of all SFHs built before 1975, and 18 medium-risk municipalities contain 8 %, together accounting for 22 % of the national pre-1975 SFH stock. Residents of these SFHs represent nearly half of those living in pre-1975 SFHs nationwide. These findings highlight the urgent need for climate-smart renovations with strategies like reflective roofing, increased greenery, and soft financing for urban adaptation planning in northern climates.

Single-family houses (SFHs) make up 43% of Sweden's building stock and contribute to 40% of the country's residential energy consumption.  Many of these houses, being old, are not only key contributors to residential energy consumption but may also be highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Investigating how climate change affects the thermal energy demand and comfort in SFHs is essential for developing strategies that enhance energy efficiency, improve occupants’ thermal comfort, and ensure the resilience.  This study will assess the impact of climate change on energy demand and thermal comfort in single-family houses (SFHs) in Sweden supported by district heating.

This study will analyze future energy demand under three "Representative Concentration Pathway" (RCP) scenarios—RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5—for the years 2030, 2040, and 2050. These scenarios will be used to explore energy consumption trends, seasonal variations, and changes in peak demand, with comparisons made against the typical and extreme weather years. Monthly analyses will provide insights into seasonal variations and overall energy consumption patterns, while hourly analyses will focus on peak-demand dynamics to guide HVAC system sizing and the development of energy supply strategies. To achieve these objectives, a case study will be conducted in Växjö, Sweden, involving two townhouses and two villas as representative of Sweden's single-family housing stock. The Urban Building Energy Modeling (UBEM) tool, developed using Python and employing EnergyPlus as the simulation engine, will be utilized for the analysis. Future weather data for the simulations will be generated using Meteonorm version 8.1, while baseline data will be sourced from local weather stations. The simulations will be calibrated and validated by comparing the results with actual energy consumption patterns of the SFHs. By integrating multiple climate scenarios and focusing on energy demand and thermal comfort, this study aims to provide actionable insights for stakeholders in the building sector. The findings will likely support the development of effective strategies to adapt SFHs to climate change, enhancing their resilience, energy efficiency, and occupant comfort.

The number of concrete buildings in Nepal increased by 23.90 percent within the last decade. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the buildings shows that Cement, Brick and Reinforcement steel are the three major building materials which account for about half of the total life cycle energy use and emission from the building materials. However, there is no national database for energy use and emissions from these building materials in Nepal. So, the study aims to evaluate energy use and its associated emissions in the production of these materials using the LCA framework and guidelines from ISO 14040: 2006 and ISO 14044: 2006. The data from embodied energy is based on the energy audits of 26 cement industries, 21 metal industries, and 27 brick industries sampled across the country. The study shows that the production of one tonne of cement accounts for 6051.07 MJ energy and is responsible for 739.49 kgCO₂-eq.; the production of 1000 pieces of standard size burnt brick from fixed chimney bull trench kiln accounts for 4124.56 MJ energy and 502.89 kgCO₂-eq. emission; and the production of one tonne of reinforcement steel accounts for 26,033.14 MJ energy and 2565.5 kgCO₂-eq emission. The major source of energy and emission in building material production is coal. A shift in energy sources from coal to hydroelectricity would reduce the energy-related emissions from the materials production. Also replacing high emission construction materials with locally available natural materials like stone, wood and bamboo could minimize the emissions from the built environment. © The Author(s) 2025.

With climate-driven disasters escalating in frequency and cost, advancing integrated resilience frameworks is urgently needed to safeguard the built environment. This study conducts a systematic literature review to identify and consolidate 31 building-level resilience indicators across five domains of climate-related risk and performance: flood, fire,wind, thermal, and energy. Pairwise interactions among indicators were assessed using a Cross-Impact Matrix (CIM), distinguishing synergies, trade-offs, neutral interdependencies, and unrelated connections. A network analysis was then applied, using out-degree and betweenness centrality to evaluate indicator influence and bridging capacity. Results show that building envelope- and structure-related measures, such as roof assembly resistance, roof pitch, roof geometry, and exterior door resistance, occupy central network positions, acting as core indicators with strong co-benefits. Gateways such as wall assembly and insulation link domains, while influencers like energy use for heating and cooling exert directional effects but may introduce trade-offs. Isolates, including backup power autonomy and stormwater–sewer separation, remain hazard-specific with limited systemic influence. By integrating matrix- and network-based approaches, this study provides an evidence-based framework for multi-hazard resilience planning, supporting more strategic building design and retrofitting.

Climate change is inevitable, making it crucial to predict its impact on energy demands in buildings, especially for vulnerable populations like the elderly. Anticipating the energy needs for heating and cooling systems in elderly housing is vital for effective climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. This study examines how climate change affects thermal comfort of elderly in newly built elderly housing in Baerum Municipality, Norway. Urban Building Energy Modeling was used to simulate energy demand in two housing complexes under IPCC AR5 climate scenarios for 2030, 2040, 2050, and 2060. The study revealed that the RCP8.5 scenario is predicted to achieve a maximum heating energy reduction of 24% by 2060, while the RCP 2.6 scenario predicts a modest reduction of 16%. Peak cooling energy demand is forecasted to increase 53% by 2060 due to rising cooling loads, emphasizing the urgent need for infrastructure enhancements to address changes in energy demand. Understanding these shifts in energy demand is crucial for the preparedness to ensure the well-being and thermal comfort of elderly populations.

This paper investigated the radiant ceiling cooling in office buildings in a tropical hot humid climate. Full-scale experiments were conducted in an outdoor laboratory chamber to observe the indoor thermal conditions and the envelope heat gain from the intermittent operation of the installed radiant chilled panels (RCP) coupled with an outdoor air unit (OAU). The radiant system was also modeled by using a simulation software namely Transient System Simulation Software (TRNSYS), and the calculation results from the model were compared to the experimental observations. In the simulation part, the validated TRNSYS model was adopted to assess the radiant system performance in a typical office environment under the four schemes of combinations of the technology options for the OAU and the building envelope. The perceived comfort from the radiant cooling was assessed based on the thermal sensation of the local subjects acclimatized to hot humid climate. The energy consumption of the radiant cooling was also apprised as opposed to the conventional mixed-air system. The simulation results presented an insight into the importance of the exhaust air heat recovery and the envelope insulation on energy saving and human comfort improvement for the radiant cooling.

This paper investigated thermal comfort of radiant cooling with subjects who are accustomed to a tropical hot humid climate. Thermal sensation, thermal acceptability, and thermal preference were assessed from observations of a large group of the subjects in a radiant cooling experimental room refurbished as an office-like environment. The analysis results showed that the operative temperature for the thermal neutrality was about 25.0 °C, and the acceptable temperature ranged from 22.5 °C to 26.5 °C. Air movement played a key factor influencing on the subject preference in the radiant cooling, while the room relative humidity had less significance. In this study, a field comfort survey of the conventional mixed-air system was also carried out in real occupied spaces by using the same questionnaire and measuring devices from the radiant comfort experiments. The comparison showed that the thermal responses of the subjects were different between the two air-conditioning systems.