Urban green and blue infrastructure simulation in a changing climate from microclimate to energy consumption: A case study in Alexandria, Egypt

Abstract

Vegetation and water bodies, known as green and blue infrastructure can be an important strategy for shaping sustainable and resilient cities. In this study, the effect of green and blue infrastructure on the cooling energy use of residential buildings in an arid hot desert climate is investigated using a coupled simulations methodology combining microclimate, building energy and climate change simulations. Results revealed that, in comparison with a baseline scenario (asphalt road), the use of blue infrastructure alone has the highest energy savings (8.12%) followed by combining green and blue infrastructures (6.73%) and green infrastructure alone (4.78%). These savings are impacted by climate change, water cover percentage and the mixed-mode cooling strategy used in the building with a negligible impact for the canopy cover percentage. The study recommends that blue infrastructure should be the first option in planning a sustainable and resilient city.