Modelling the Path to Climate-Neutral Districts in Umeå

Energy modelling for real municipal needs

The core focus of UmU’s work has been the Ålidhem district in Umeå Municipality, where researchers analysed the potential for achieving climate neutrality through:

• Energy-efficiency retrofitting of buildings
• Electricity production using solar photovoltaics (PV)

The results of this work are designed to directly support Umeå Municipality and contribute to the municipality’s Energy Programme, ensuring that modelling outcomes are relevant for real planning and policy processes.

In addition to leading WP2.1, UmU also supported several other activities in HYBES, strengthening the project’s analytical and strategic foundations.

A success story: doing more with less data

A key success from Umeå has been the development of a district-scale building energy model using the open-access simulation tool City Energy Analyst.

The study showed that:

• Low-resolution energy data can be sufficient to calibrate urban energy models.
• Simpler, archetype-based models can deliver results comparable to more detailed approaches.
• Meaningful insights can be achieved with lower computational complexity and reduced costs.

These findings suggest that urban building energy modelling (UBEM) can be made more accessible, especially in contexts where detailed data is limited. This opens new possibilities for municipalities and regions that want to explore energy scenarios without heavy data or resource requirements.

Collaboration that shapes better scenarios

One of the most positive experiences for UmU during HYBES has been the close dialogue with Umeå Municipality. Regular discussions helped researchers better understand local initiatives and long-term plans to reduce energy use.

These interactions were crucial for:

• Framing realistic and policy-relevant energy scenarios
• Aligning simulations with municipal priorities
• Ensuring that modelling outputs are directly useful for local decision-makers

Rather than working in isolation, the modelling process became a shared learning exercise between researchers and municipal practitioners.

Umeå University’s contribution to HYBES demonstrates how simplified, transparent modelling approaches can bridge the gap between advanced research and everyday municipal planning. By showing that robust insights are possible even with limited data, the work supports more inclusive and scalable approaches to urban decarbonisation—benefiting both local communities and partner regions across HYBES.